Tamim savours Abahani captaincy
BCB gets an option to utilise his new role for national team
Sports Reporter
Apart from showing an angry reaction to umpires for which he was slapped with huge punishment, Tamim Iqbal barely did anything wrong in the recently concluded Dhaka Premier League (DPL). He scored runs when it mattered most, he smashed centuries when it was needed badly and he ended up as second highest run-getter (714 runs in 16 matches) in the league. Last but not the least, his exemplary captaincy removed any apprehension regarding his tactical nous as captain. At times his captaincy wasnt as good as it should be but as the time went on, he got better and better. He led the team from the front and achieved his first major success as captain by clinching the DPL trophy, a title that Abahani sealed for the record 18th time by regaining it after four years.
The talk should be discussed how Tamim evolved as a matured captain but sadly his breathtaking effort both as leader and player was subdued. The reason behind that was the team he played in. Right from the start of the league, they were alleged to have got umpires favourisitim because Abahani high-ups were linked in the board in some capacity. So Abahani was easy target to be alleged even with silly reasons. The opponents took that opportunity and utilised it properly to create a chaos.
Abahani formed a team that was the best on papers. They started the league with a huge victory over Kalabagan Krira Chakra but stumbled afterwards and lost four matches at a stretch that left them in awkward position with the super league was at stake. Abahani captain Tamim and other players picked form in right time to turn the table with some emphatic victories but the opponents criticised that they took the advantage of playing at BKSP because media personnel was hardly present there. But the true fact is most of the cricket journalists covered the match of Abahani in BKSP every time they played there. Abahani overall played six matches at BKSP where the other teams got five matches there so logically there was no question of giving Abahani big advantage by shifting their game to BKSP.
However all those chaos put an adverse impact on the Abahani players and kept them in pressure every time they got into the field. This was the time when Tamims captaincy was tested immensely. Still he led his sides renaissance as they won nine straight matches to seal the title. Tamim himself struck two centuries and as many half-centuries in those nine matches to contribute in his sides revival. He extracted the best of Liton Das who had been in a prolonged bad patch. Tamim kept belief on him and gave him the opportunity to come up with his best. Liton excelled at the moment when Abahani needed his service badly.
But Tamim should be credited to bring up the best of two youngstersMosaddek Hossain Saikat and Nazmul Hasan Shanto. While Siakats 622 runs and 15 wickets in 16 games, a stunning batting average of 77.75 caught the headline, Shantos 537 runs gave Abahani middle order solidity. Both of the players credited Tamim Iqbal to give them much freedom to express.
Shakib Al Hasans inclusion later in the league gave Abahani the right kind of balance they needed but Tamims inspirational presence in and off the field was catalyst behind Abahanis major success after a long time. And the swashbuckling opener had to do all those under immense pressure as people talked about how they got umpires favourisitm instead of talking how they performed on the field.
The pressure was immense, specially the way the talk was going on but credit to our players who showed patience and focused on their job. It wasnt easy indeed but somehow we managed it, Tamim said.
Tamim revealed he felt bad after watching his young teammates achievement was overshadowed by the rubbish talk when those players should be credited for their performance.
Its common to be in the eye of the media and to be criticised, but I thought it was a bit too much at one point because there were some players in my team who didnt get the credit they deserve. Players like Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Hasan has had fantastic tournament. They both come with good all-round performance. There may be discussions on controversies, but that does not mean that a players performance will be overshadowed, he added.
But keeping aside all those issues, Tamim wants to cherish his first major success as captain.
It is my first trophy as a captain. It was good feeling to lead a side to clinch the title. I savoured it actually.
The success as captain could turn the fate of the Tamim who is now the vice-captain of Bangladesh Test team. Since Mushfiqurs performance as captain wasnt satisfactory, Mahmudullah Riyad was the first choice to replace him but Tamims brilliance now made him favourite for the post.
