Shakib advises Mehedi to be aggressive in CPL
Sports Reporter
Ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan advised Mehedi Hasan Miraj to be aggressive and bowl wicket-to-wicket to thrive in the condition of West Indies, a place in which the youngster will play Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 for the first time for Trinbago Knight Riders.
Mehedi was initially contracted for four matches, for which he left the country yesterday. Unless Australia tour to Bangladesh in scheduled time, he may play the full tournament provided the BCB allows him.
The bowling sensation indeed was relied on Shakib heavily to get the idea of the wicket in the Caribbean Island as Shakib has huge experience and success there.
Shakib will also play in the CPL for the third time for Jamaica Tallawahs and will leave the country on Saturday.
Mehedi stormed into the international circuit with a record-breaking performance in a Test series against England in last October and is so far considered as Test specialist. He also made his debut in ODI and T20 cricket but his T20 International is so far limited in just one match for Bangladesh.
The T20 tournament in West Indies could provide him the platform to show his credential in the shortest format cricket also. Therefore Shakibs advice was mandatory for him.
He provided a huge encouragement, saying that I would love the wicket there because it would be conducive to the spinners, said Mehedi.
He advised me to be aggressive all the way and bowl wicket-to-wicket if I want to thrive there. He said if I can maintain a channel, the ball will do the rest because sometimes it will offer turn and sometime the ball will get low because of the nature of the wicket. So according to him, if I can keep the ball in right track and become aggressive, I will get what I want.
Shakib has been one of the most successful bowlers in the CPL history, claiming 23 wickets in 19 matches in the last two seasons for Barbados Tridents in 2013 and Jamaica Tallahwahs in 2016. He recorded his best T20 figure of 4-1-6-6 against Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel in 2013. This still remains the second best figure in T20 cricket.
Mehedi said other senior players also gave his some tips and provided the necessary encouragement.
Not only Shakib Al Hasan, there are Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Mahmudullah Riyad, Tamim Iqbal, all wished me the success. They also gave some tips in the light of their experience, Mehedi added.
The 20-year old all-rounder however wasnt entirely new in the Caribbean Island even though it is his first assignment in the country in a senior level cricket.
He played some matches in Guyana with the Bangladesh Under-19 team in 2013.
I have some idea about the Guyana wicket. However apart from Guyana I didnt play any other place in the West Indies.
The tournament is a platform for me to show my credential in T20 cricket. You know how good the West Indian players in T20 format. All of their best cricketers will play this tournament. So if I can do well in the tournament, itll boost my confidence.
Mehedi though is considered as an all-rounder, he will play as a spinner in the CPL as he replaced Australian chinaman bowler Brad Hogg. Mehedi gets the NOC for August 15 and if Australia comes he would have no chance to extend it. He however said he is confident to cope with the Test format right after playing T20 cricket.
