Some positives amidst the criticism

Is the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) going to leave a mark upon the conclusion of the final of the ninth edition being played on Thursday in front of a packed Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur?

Some would suggest that the cricket has been below-par. But while that assertion stems from the absence of the usual extravagance of this tournament due to the absence of foreign stars at the front end, it opened door for locals to play far more important roles than they are used to. The effect that it created was that a few performers were able to stake their claims to being T20-cricket savvy as the tournament gears to a close.

Sylhet Sixers are the foremost side when it comes to showcasing local talent. Mashrafe Bin Mortaza's side were not earmarked for a successful tournament but proved doubters wrong early by winning their first five games on the trot. And although they lost the first qualifier against tournament favourites Comilla Victorians, they bounced back in extraordinary fashion in the second qualifier to thwart title contenders Rangpur Riders.

Sylhet's opening duo of Towhid Hridoy and Najmul Hossain Shanto impressed in particular, with the latter ending as the top run-getter of the tournament and Towhid not far behind. Shanto had amassed 451 runs before the final, playing consistently at a very good average. The left-hander had been criticised for his opening role in the national team but Mashrafe showed the effect a positive dose of faith can have on cricketers.

Hridoy struck over 400 runs and it was his clean hitting as a top-order batter and ability to pace his innings that gave Sylhet the platform for competitive scores. Zakir Hasan, another who is making a case in the Test format, came up with impactful knocks.

At one point following the first phase of the league stage, Mashrafe was the top wicket-taker.

Runs had been scored as wickets started to fare better after the first few matches, an unusual thing given Mirpur's previous track record. Crowds turned up in droves, especially in Sylhet, giving the vibe that the tournament could indeed go bigger if planned with sufficient forethought.

The absence of DRS was one of the biggest talking points during the tournament and ace all-rounder and Fortune Barishal captain Shakib Al Hasan's words had induced controversy while highlighting the excitement the tournament induces.

Yet, after the negative branding at the start, the matches started to pull in the crowds. Shakib himself was one of the top run-getters and levelled-up with his power-hitting, scoring at an incredible strike-rate of just over 174.

While Bangladeshi pacers were facing the music on good tracks and spinners had little effect, a few bowlers like Rangpur pacer Hasan Mahmud or Comilla spinner Tanvir Islam left their mark. The presence of bowlers such as Pakistan's Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, Harris Rauf and Mohammad Waseem also meant bowling attacks were challenging enough for good cricket.

With a few franchise leagues around the world ending before the eliminator and qualifiers, big-name stars were available for tournament favourites Comilla. As for the lack of ability to create brand value, there remains a big concern. But ultimately it is up to the BCB to create the required value.