Dhaka Gladiators looking forward to play good game

Print Edition

User Rating: / 1
PoorBest 

Saturday, 04 February 2012

Author / Source : SPORTS REPORTER

DHAKA, Feb 3: Mashrafe Bin Mortaza believed that performance in the field will decide the fate of the game after forming a balanced team for the forthcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Mashrafe will lead the franchise Dhaka Gladiators in the upcoming BPL Twenty Cricket Tournament. Their campaign of the BPL will start with the match against the Khulna Royal Bengals on February 11.
“Every team formed a balanced team with the mixed of local and foreign players. Some foreign players will not come to play in the BPL. It is a factor not only for our team but also for all teams. After that, every team is equally  balanced. So, it is important to play good game in the tournament for winning the title,” said pacer Mashrafe Bin Mortaza after the first day’s practice session at the Mirpur indoor complex on Friday.
“If we could play good cricket then win may come to our ways whoever may be the opponents.” 
Most of the team’s players sans Icon player Mohammad Ashraful, Mashrafe, Nazmul Hossain, Mosharaf Hossain Rubel, Daren Stevens and Alexie Karveze were not present in their first practice session.
When asked about the absentees, former national captain said, “All are in the game. Foreign players including Caribbean Kiren Pollard, who is now playing in his home and Pakistani Rana Naved, who has just returned to his country after finishing the Australian Big Bash. We, the local players are also all in the game. So, practice is no problem for us. But if we would get all of them in the first practice session it would be better for us.”
“Good starting was very important. We, who are available, have come to practice. When they will get chance to do, they will come in the practice session. We have just started practicing as we needed to do it,” Mash added.
Former pace spearhead of the national team Mashrafe was out of game around nine month after serious injury. Now he has been starting playing with Biman Bangladesh in  the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League after regaining complete fitness.
“I have just played three matches of the league after getting back from the injury. I’m feeling better day by day and bowling regularly in the close supervision of our bowling coach and  trainer.
Hope if I could continue my bowling in this way, it would be very good for me,” said Mashrafe, who  dubbed as ‘Narail Express’ in the country’s cricket arena. The 28-year old pacer said about captaincy, “Captaincy is not a big factor for me as I led the national team and Dhaka Abahani Limited from the front  before this. As management gave the charge of the team, I will try to give my best for the team.” 
Speaking about the team’s strong side, the lad from Narail said, “We have a strong fielding side as Pollard, Imran Nazir, Ashraful along with other players- all are very good  fielders We have bowling variations. Even every batsmen could play shots and that is very important in the Twenty20 game for getting a positive result. After all, we’ve to play well in the field for winning.”
Ian Pont, who acted as assistant coach of the national team, will play a vital role for the Dhaka Gladiators this time around as the head-coach.   Pont said, “I think so. All the teams are facing the same problems. All have to make sure for getting players. At the same time, players have to come together to play for the team’s win.”