U-19s, Mash in focus for DPL
"We are not thinking about it [coronavirus outbreak]. Everyone is taking precautions by their own. We are only thinking about our performance on the field."
Sarwar Imran
Prime Bank Cricket
Club Coach
After Bangladesh completed a clean series sweep by winning all the matches across the three formats in their series over Zimbabwe, the focus now turns to the upcoming Dhaka Premier League (DPL) starting from March 15.
Unlike past years, this edition of the DPL is set to see a number of national stars feature from the very first round. And with the national team's next assignment -- the third phase of the Pakistan tour for a lone ODI and Bangladesh's second World Test Championship fixture -- in jeopardy due to the coronavirus outbreak, the DPL remain the centre of focus even for the national stars.
A total of 12 clubs will participate in the country's lone 50-over tournament after the three-day players' transfers ended on March 5.
Defending champions and record 20-time winners Abahani again look to be favourites with the likes of Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Taijul Islam, Afif Hossain and Mohammad Naim in their ranks.
However, this edition will serve as a great proving ground for the Bangladesh Under-19 players, who were the clubs' prime targets during the opening day of transfers at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) headquarters in Mirpur.
It was a rare sight to witness players of age-level teams hogging all the spotlight, but not at all a surprise considering their incredible feat of bringing the nation's first-ever World Cup home by winning the ICC Under-19 World Cup in February.
The main reason behind the under-19 side's success in the biggest age-level competition held in South Africa in January-February this year was the team's unity. The squad that brought the glory home had more or less been playing together for the past two years in accordance with a sketched out plan by the BCB.
This DPL will see the likes of Akbar Ali, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Shoriful Islam, Shamim Hossain and Parvez Hossain Emon representing Gazi Group, Abahani, Prime Bank, Prime Doleshwar and Mohammedan respectively. And even though Prime Bank's Shoriful will have a familiar face alongside him in Rakibul Hasan, it will still be a challenge for all the Under-19 players to prove their mettle as individuals.
Aside from the Under-19 players, the focus will also be on Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, who recently announced his retirement as ODI captain. Mashrafe's services were secured by Sheikh Jamal and his performances in the domestic tournament will surely be monitored closely as even BCB selector Habibul Bashar believes that the 36-year-old still had a lot to offer to the national side.
And for Mashrafe, who has proven himself by overcoming numerous challenges during his glorious cricketing career, this will be a new challenge as the veteran pacer will now be gearing up to prove himself as just a regular player, not a leader.
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