Yesterday at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, East Zone defeated North Zone with a comprehensive innings and 112 runs with to pacer Khaled Ahmed’s ten-wicket haul. This was East Zone’s first-ever Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) triumph. The Sylhet-born cricketer dismissed North for 132 runs in the second innings after taking seven wickets. Khaled finished the competition as the top wicket-taker with 18 scalps from two matches, earning him the title of player of the tournament as well. The 31-year-old’s incredible performance was a breath of fresh air, as there was a need to create surfaces that are conducive to pace in order to improve the standard of cricket played on the domestic circuit. The right-arm briefly discussed his own development and the value of playing on athletic fields at home with Mazhar Uddin of The Daily Star, among other things. Below are some quotes from the interview:
The Daily Star (DS): What is your assessment of your BCL performance?
Khaled Ahmed (KA): As a player, it is rewarding when your performance benefits the team. I am thrilled to be able to contribute to my team’s success. It’s much more memorable because it was our first BCL title.
DS: After taking 18 wickets in two games, you emerged as the BCL’s top wicket-taker. How do you feel about the pitch?
KA: The competition was difficult since we had to play on athletic fields the entire time. It was an even game because both batters and bowlers could find something on the pitches. Though it was nothing like rank turners, which are exclusive to spinners, there was something for spinners as well. I therefore liked bowling on such surfaces as a pacer.
DS: Do you think that playing on such athletic fields in home competitions may help players get better?
KA: It is true that there has been a lot of discussion in the past concerning the use of sporting fields in domestic events, and I must admit that things have changed for the better in recent years. Playing on athletic fields aids in the development of your batting and bowling abilities. As a cricketer, you always want to take on that challenge. We have witnessed Mominul [Haque] bhai and Naeem [Islam] bhai score hundreds for which they had to work really hard. However, when you have bounce and carry from the surface as a pacer, it motivates bowlers to improve their technique in order to put batsmen to the test.
DS: Throughout this tournament, have you worked on any variations?
KA: Yes, exactly. As I previously stated, bowlers found it difficult on athletic tracks, therefore my primary goal was to consistently bowl at the proper line and length. If you’ve noticed, [Mohammed] Shami constantly attempts to bowl at a specific spot and achieves success, regardless of whether he plays in Tests, ODIs, or T20Is. In addition, I have been honing my outswing, and throughout the tournament, I was generally successful with my outswingers. My natural movement is an inswing, so being able to swing both ways will be beneficial to me in the upcoming days.