Khaled Mahmud, the head coach of Durdanto Dhaka, is generally in command of tough teams in both the Dhaka Premier League and the Bangladesh Premier League. Contrary to popular belief, he will begin the season with a freshly established squad in the country’s lone franchise T20 event. The former Bangladesh captain said that his team’s goal would be to make the playoffs.
“If I think realistically, given our strength, the first step we can aim for is knockouts and making the top four.” “You need luck to be a champion,” he told reporters yesterday following his team’s first practice session at SBNCS.
Dhaka does not have many major local or international players, but it has opted to put its confidence in young people from both home and abroad. Along with Mohammad Naim, homegrown players Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, and Mosaddek Hossain will form the nucleus of the team.
They have recruited Sadeera Samarawickrama from Sri Lanka and Saim Ayub from Pakistan, but it remains to be seen who will be the squad’s X-factor.
Mahmud, a successful local coach, recognizes that his squad will begin as underdogs, but believes that they will have to make do with what they have.
“Of course, this is a significant difficulty for me. Everyone will label us as a six or seven team. I’m not outraged since we have nothing to lose. Whatever we accomplish, it will be a victory for us,” Mahmud added.
“We may have been unsuccessful in attracting major players to our team. We don’t have a lot of money. But it doesn’t bother me. Anything may happen in this sort of arrangement. “We need three to four players to perform well,” Mahmud remarked.
According to Mahmud, Mosaddek or Taskin may lead the team in the forthcoming competition.
Dhaka will commence their championship campaign against the defending champions Comilla Victorians.
Shakib will see an eye specialist in London.
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is expected to go to London, England, to consult an eye expert, according to a member of the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) medical staff, who spoke to The Daily Star yesterday.
The 36-year-old has been suffering from an eye problem since the ODI World Cup last year. He recently visited an ophthalmologist in Dhaka after doing so at the showcase event in India.
With Shakib expected to play for Rangpur Riders in the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), which begins on January 19, his team has scheduled the medical appointment. During a net practice Tuesday at the Bashundhara Sports Complex, Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah batted while wearing spectacles.
“Shakib is going to London to have his eyes checked.” “It’s not a major issue, and we expect him to be ready before the BPL starts,” Rangpur Riders CEO Ishtiaque Sadeque told The Daily Star.
SBNCS receives a little facelift.
The Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) in Mirpur is undergoing minor renovations as BCB installs 7500 new seats ahead of the 10th season of the BPL.
All damaged chairs at the site will be replaced, according to Syed Abdul Baten, BCB grounds and facilities manager.
“The main issue is with the Club House north and south chairs, which we are replacing as soon as possible.” “We have 7500 chairs to finish the job,” Baten informed the journalists.