DHAKA, July 18, 2024 (BSS)—The Bangladeshi cricketers, playing at different franchise leagues across the globe have been going through a abysmal form, which eventually saw them axed from the team’s best XI.

Currently four cricketers—Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam and Towhid Hriody are playing in the Lankan Premier League (LPL) while ace allrounder Shakib Al Hasan is the only one to play the Major League Cricket (MLC) in USA. All five players have been benched in different point of the tournament, paying the price of their mediocre performance in those leagues.

For the first time, so many players from Bangladesh are playing the franchise leagues simultaneously with no International cricket scheduled at this moment. There was always complain that the lack of exposure in the T20 tournaments around the world hindered the progress of the Bangladeshi cricketers in this format. The BCB has also some reservation to allow the players NOC, considering the injury issue. But when there was chance the Bangladeshi cricketers failed to cement their position in those tournaments.

Pacer Mustafizur Rahman who is also an IPL veteran is being benched from his side Dambulla Sixers in LPL in the last three matches.  Another fast bowler Taskin Ahmed, who was snubbed from IPL by BCB for a couple of times finally had the chance to play the LPL for the first time but he too was dropped from the side for the last two matches.

Pacer Shoriful Islam, considered as the most inform bowler of Bangladesh has already lost his place from his side in LPL while batter Towhid Hridoy too didn’t do anything worthy that resulted in being axed from the side finally.

Mustafizur got a wicket in his first match for Dambulla but for that he conceded 44 runs in three overs. In the second match the player, adorably called as Cutter Master, took two wickets for 30 runs in four overs. Later in his third match he gave away 39 runs for two wickets and then conceded 53 runs in four overs in fourth overs. Dambulla lost all four matches Mustafizur played for them.  

Hridoy who is the teammate of Mustafizur in Dambulla scored just one run in three matches. Even Taskin Ahmed scored 22 runs in three matches. Playing for Colombo Strikers, Taskin took four wickets at an economy rate of 10.27.

Shoriful, the so called best bowler of Bangladesh, was most expensive in LPL amongst the Bangladeshi pacers. Playing for Kandy Falcons, he took four wickets at an economy rate of 11.61 in five matches. After five matches, Falcons lost their patience from Shoriful and benched him. Thereafter they got some success and finished fourth in the point table.

The pacers performance once again demonstrated the fact that how hapless they could be when they don’t get slow wicket. Most of the matches in LPL were played in sporting pitches and it is believed Bangladeshi players therefore found them in vulnerable state.

Meanwhile in USA, the big brand of Bangladesh cricket Shakib Al Hasan continued his dismal form. He played so far four matches for Los Angeles Knight Riders and his side lost three of those four matches. When he was benched in the fifth match, Los Angeles returned to winning way.

In four matches, Shakib scored just 60 runs at a strike rate of 125 while took just one wicket at an economy rate of 11.10. Even the captain Sunile Narine didn’t dare to complete his four overs quota in any matches.