‘Old, but still not out’
Fortune Barishal's Mushfiqur Rahim on Wednesday quipped about his side being labelled as the 'team of elderlies' after the Tamim Iqbal-led side, also including veteran Mahmudullah Riyad, cemented their spot in the final of the 10th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League.
After their six-wicket win over defending champions Comilla Victorians in the final in Mirpur yesterday, Tamim underlined the importance of the old guard in the 20-over format as he pointed out how the experience of the trio that has an average age of 36 came into play in crunch situations.
"(We are) Old, but still not out," Tamim interrupted Mushfiqur when the wicket-keeper batter was asked during the post-match presentation ceremony how it felt to still have the fighting spirit despite all three of them now being considered veterans of the game.
Although unusual, Tamim called up Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah to join him in the captain's post-match interview where the left-handed opener heaped praise on his national teammates, reiterating their importance in Barishal's maiden title win.
"I would love to dedicate this trophy to them [Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad]," Tamim said upon arriving at the interview booth. "They haven't won it (before). Mushy did a massive job in the field and looked after the team really well. I mainly concentrated on who will come and who will play. He made the field changes and it is Mushy's trophy. Because I was named the captain, I get the credit but it's really important to say the right thing."
"In this kind of tournament, there is a lot of pressure. This is where I have to thank Mushy who took away a lot of pressure from me, and I could just concentrate on my batting. It was important for me and the team that I score runs at the top. I've done it but it wouldn't have been possible without the support of Mushy, Riyad, and the others," he added.
Tamim finished the edition as the tournament's highest run-getter with 492 runs, evenly spread out throughout the competition, at a strike rate of 127 while averaging 35.14.
After winning their first match, Barishal lost the next three and suffered two more losses that saw their qualification hang in the balance and it was only after Khulna Tigers' defeat in their final league fixture that Barishal ensured a spot in the playoffs.
"There was a time when we were almost out of the tournament. We weren't sure if we would make the semifinals [playoffs] but this is where experience comes in. A lot of people say a lot of things about T20 cricket but I think experience is key. This is where it came into play and we are here," Tamim said.
Third time the charm
Third time was the charm for Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah, who lost the past two BPL finals they played in. The duo featured in all 10 seasons of the tournament but up until now couldn't boast a winner's medal. Mushfiqur missed out on the title in 2019 and 2023 with Khulna Tigers and Sylhet Strikers respectively, while Mahmudullah had to walk past the trophy more than a decade ago with Chittagong Vikings in 2013 and then suffered the same fate the following season with Barishal Bulls.
"It was my third final and I won for the first time. Thanks to Tamim for leading us so well and a lot of credit to the team management and support staff, they worked really hard," Mushfiqur said in the post-match interview.
Mushfiqur pulled his weight with the bat and with his prior experience of captaincy. At one point, he led the charts for runs scored and finished the tournament with 380 runs. Meanwhile, Mahmudullah, who has consistently played in the most tricky position -- the role of the finisher -- scored 237 at a strike rate of 134.65, including two fifties.