Lesser lights grab the spotlight

Young pacer Sumon Khan's five-wicket haul laid the platform for Mahmudullah XI to bundle out Najmul XI for a total of 173 runs. In reply, a clinical batting display, led by a fifty from Liton Das, helped Mahmudullah XI clinch the BCB President's Cup title with a seven-wicket win at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

While the intent and attitude from many of the established cricketers was absent, it was the lesser known ones who managed to grab all the limelight in yesterday's final. 

All eyes were on the likes of Rubel Hossain and Ebadat Hossain in the pace bowling department for Mahmudullah XI when they sent Najmul XI to bat first. However, young Sumon Khan, who had his way into the team due to an injury to Hasan Mahmud, stepped up and grabbed the opportunity.

Neither tall nor stocky, Sumon used his line and length with a bit of swing to great effect. The 20-year-old, who has been part of the High Performance squad, announced himself by picking three wickets in the first game before his five-for-38 in yesterday's game.

Rubel Hossain gave Mahmudullah's side the early breakthrough by removing Saif Hasan before Sumon, who was struck for two boundaries early, had his revenge and got the biggest scalp of Mushfiqur Rahim. 

Sumon's ability to shape the ball into the right-hander worked well as Mushfiqur, batting on 12, was beaten by the late swing and got trapped leg-before while trying to work the ball on the leg side. 

The right-arm pacer got the outside edge of another in-form batsman Afif Hossain before he got Soumya Sarkar edging while playing at a delivery going away from his body. 

The pacer from Manikganj used his intelligence and tried to bowl at the stumps against the tail-enders and dismissed Nayeem Hassan and Nasum Ahmed late in the innings as Najmul XI were bundled out for 173 with 17 balls to spare. 

Much like Sumon, another cricketer who is lesser known to many cricket fans was left-hander Irfan Shukkur. Irfan's innings was the only highlight with the bat for his side in this game. 

Irfan showed promise throughout the tournament as he displayed a great amount of adaptability coming into bat in different situations. Coming in at five-down, the 75-run knock was his second half-century of the tournament and eventually he ended as the second-highest run-getter of the tournament with 214 runs behind Mushfiqur's 219 runs in five games.

The selectors will surely provide more opportunities in future to players like Sumon and Irfan, who generally do not get enough opportunity compared to the established players so that a healthy competition for places in the national team ensues.

HIGHLIGHTS

PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT

Mushfiqur Rahim

BATSMAN OF THE TOURNAMENT

Irfan Shukkur

BOWLER OF THE TOURNAMNET

Rubel Hossain

PROMISING PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT

Rishad Ahmed