A look back at seasons BPL
Part-I
This seasons BPL brought up some delighting moments for the spectators. Unlike the other seasons, the local players ruled the roost, proving the fact that Bangladeshs cricket had really come off age. This BPL also gave the birth of talented players like Mehedi Maruf, Afif Hossain. Some old performers like Shahriar Nafees, Arafat Sunny reinvigorated them in the season.
There were also like off field issues but BCB controlled them with stern action. The Independent however looked back at seasons BPL in its two parts story.
Sabbir Rahmansmarauding ton
Sabbir Rahman already established himself as the best T20 batsman of the country. If anyone has doubt over it, he again proved by playing blistering and entertaining highest innings of the BPL history. The 24-year hard-hitting batsman eclipsed Chris Gayles 116, the previous highest score by smashing 61 ball-122 against Barisal Bulls. In his knock, there was nine sixes and as many fours. His century is ninth in the tournaments history but only third by Bangladeshi after Mohammad Ashraful and Shahriar Nafees. Both Ashraful and Nafees hit century in 2013 edition.
A much-anticipated storm that never came
Spectators were waiting for a storm from Chris Gayle but that storm never came. In the five matches for Chittagong Vikings he played he scored 40, 19, 1, 5 and 44. His off-form was the reason Chittagong was eliminated from the tournament after playing Eliminator. A thrusting Jamaican left-hander showcased his real grits and characters in the first two editions. Chris Gayle is the first player, who implanted his name in BPL history by having hit three devastating centuries. He smashed a six-filled hundred on his first match of the BPL-1 and later made another entertaining hundred that was stacked with fours and sixes and he plundered his third in 2013.
Magical Mahmudullahs spin conundrum
All-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad made some amazing performance with both bat and ball that he showcased for Khulna Titans. He single-handedly helped his team win two matches by bowling in the last-over thrillers. The spin all-rounder successfully defended six runs in the penultimate over against Rajshahi Kings. He did the same thing against Chittagong Vikings just three days later of the first instance. In both occasions, he gave away the identical number of three runs and claimed three wickets apiece. He made the feat getting rid of well-set batsmen.
Match-fixing allegation
Rangpur Riders player and official suspended for alleged match fixing allegation, which is being investigated by anti-corruption unit of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
In the aspect of the written complaints lodged by a cricketer of BPL 2016 franchise Rangpur Riders against an official of the same team. The BCB recognizes that the allegations and counter allegations brought forward by the player and the official concerned, which includes breach of discipline and corrupt practice, are of serious nature.
As per the recommendation of the BPL Governing Council and in line with the BCBs zero tolerance policy on disciplinary and code of conduct breaches, the matter has been referred to the BCB Anti-Corruption Unit which will investigate the accusations. The Governing Council has informed Rangpur Riders that the player and official will be suspended from all activities relating to the BPL 2016 pending investigation.
Arafat Sunny sets newT20 record
Left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny made a new world record in T20. Rangpur Riders spinner snapped up three wickets without giving away any run in his 2.4 overs burst during their BPL match against Khulna Titans.
With this figure of 2.4-2-0-3 Sunny surpassed the record of Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan Kulasekara, the only other bowler to get a wicket in T20 cricket without conceding a run. Kulasekara had accomplished his feat in Bangladesh when he claimed 0-1 in his two overs for Sri Lanka during their ICC World T20 match against the Netherlands in Chittagong in 2014.
Local players rulethe roost in BPL
Local players ruled the roost in BPL-4 as they maintained their sheer dominance in all the aspects of the games of the T20 tournament.
It was earlier seen that the overseas big-hitters and fearsome bowlers hogged the spotlight but this time Bangladeshi players maintained their supremacy in all aspects of the games. The bulk of five top run-getters so far were local players and the leader of the table Tamim Iqbal (476), who was followed by Mahmudullah Riyad (374), Mohammad Shahzad (350), Mushfiqur Rahim (341), Mehedi Maruf (339). Of them, Tamim had an opportunity to break the highest run-getter in a single BPL tournament that was made by Ahmed Shehzad in the BPL maiden edition in 2013. Tamim was just 11 runs away to eclipse the record. Mehedi Maruf, a find of the BPL, scored runs with aggressive intent competing with the proved stroke-makers from international sphere with the same pace.
Dhaka Dynamites pacer Mohammad Shahid, who is well-known for his ability to take heavy work load to make him a regular Test bowler, was ahead than other bowlers to scalp wickets before being sidelined with knee-injury.
He captured 15 wickets to be the highest wicket-taker jointly with Mohammad Nabi though the Afghan all-rounder has played eight matches, one more than the Narayanganj paceman. Before being sidelined with hamstring injury, paceman Shafiul Islam was on the pole position. Finally he took 18 wickets from 13 matches.
Al Amin and Sabbir heavily penalized for off the field disciplinary issue
Paceman Al-Amin Hossain and all-rounder Sabbir Rahman heavily penalized by BCB for what it said serious off-field disciplinary breaches during BPL-4.
Al-Amin, played for Barisal Bulls, was fined half of his BPL contract money and Sabbir, who played for Rajshahi Kings, was fined 30 per cent of his contract money for the offence. Al-Amin was drafted as an A category player whose contract is worth Tk 25 lakh, will have to pay a fine of Tk 12.5 lakh-the highest ever fine slapped on a player by the board for disciplinary problem. On the other hand, Sabbir was drafted as icon player with a contract of Tk 40 lakh, now will have to pay a fine of Tk 12 lakh.
The board did not specify the allegations against them, though insiders said the players faced with some personal disciplinary problems during BPL. The players have been reminded of their responsibility as national cricketers and issued warnings that any repeat of similar acts of indiscretion in the future will result in harsher penalty.
