‘Here we are’: Mushfiqur revels in reaching BPL final with ‘team of elderlies’
Bangladesh stalwart Mushfiqur Rahim was excited to have reached the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) final with Fortune Barishal, a side that had been given the tag of the 'team of elderlies' prior to the tournament.
Mushfiur's unbeaten 47 off 38 deliveries helped Barishal beat Shakib Al Hasan's Rangpur Riders by six wickets in Qualifier 2 in Mirpur yesterday.
After Barishal had lost both their openers inside the Powerplay, it was Mushfiqur who rebuild the innings through crucial partnerships with Soumya Sarkar, Kyle Mayers, and David Miller and saw the side chase down a 150-run target with ease.
Asked if it was the experience of the 36-year-old wicketkeeper-batter that helped him play such a pivotal role, Mushfiqur replied wittily as he said: "How so now? All you said before the tournament that Barishal is a team of elderlies and that T20s aren't won by experience. But, here we are."
Led by Tamim Iqbal, Barishal also include another stalwart of Bangladesh cricket in Mahmudullah Riyad.
According to Mushfiqur, who has retired from T20Is, a blend of youth and experience always goes a long way for a team in any format of the game.
"I think it is a very wrong concept [that T20 is a game for only the youth]. I think every format, be it T20, ODIs, or Tests, needs a mixture of youth and experience. It is the way things work in this world – young players will come and the experienced players will make way and a combination of the both will build a process," he said.
Mushfiqur was also very upfront about how he felt being discarded as an "aged" cricketer.
"No, it doesn't motivate me. I just feel bad," Mushfiqur said. If you compare my fitness with many young players, I am sure their fitness level will be nowhere near mine. I can write it down. I think age is just a number. More than the age, I think the fitness level and performance of a player take precedence."
Barishal will vie for their maiden BPL trophy in the all-important final against defending champions Comilla Victorians, the tournament's most successful side with four titles, on March 1 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.