After 30 Matches many of which went down to wire four teams of the six entered business session. In a little over 72 hours, the winner will emerge and curtain of a very entertaining T20 tournament the third edition in Bangladesh will drop.

We cannot say that in matters of quality cricket it is very admirable so far as top players from top ranked test playing countries Australia, India, England, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka for their own international commitment could not or did not participate.

Yet several Pakistanis, few Sri Lankans and West Indians along with Bangladesh Superstars and young talents made this competition competitive.

Wickets were not conducive for great cricket, umpiring were substandard and organization was not flawless. Yet people enjoyed. Many of the matches were entertaining. Few matches raised doubts and confusions about fairness.

Team Standing


Enigmatic Captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza led Comilla Victorians finished on the top of the table with average team. ICC top ranked all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan led Rangpur Riders finished close second followed by Mahmudullah led Barisal Bulls and Sangakkara led Dhaka Dynamites.

Two of the stronger teams of the tournament Sylhet Super Stars and Chittagong Vikings got knocked out.  Any of the four top finishers have depth, diversity and quality to lift the trophy. But the two top finishers have edge over the other two.

First playoff winner will enter final directly. The loser will have fight out with winner of the eliminator of third and fourth placed teams to play in the finals.

T20 is a gamble. You win some and lose some. The better team of the day wins. Luck also plays its part. A close umpiring decision at crucial time also proves critical.

Top 5 Batsmen


Top 10 Bowlers


Before reviewing the tournament and discussing the emerging contest deeper let us visit the teams.

Comilla Victorians:
Local players: Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (Icon), Liton Kumer Das, Imrul Kayes, Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury, Sanjamul Islam, Kamrul Islam, Ariful Haque, Mahmudul Hasan, Naeem Islam (junior), Abu Hider, Dhiman Ghosh, Dollar Mahmud  and Alok Kapali

Overseas players: Shoaib Malik, Sunil Narine, Marlon Samuels, Krishmar Santokie, Ahmed Shehzad, Darren Stevens, Nuwan Kulasekara, Andre Russell, Lahiru Thirimanne, Asher Zaidi.

Rangpur Riders
Local players: Shakib Al Hasan (Icon), Soumya Sarkar, Arafat Sunny, Mohammad Mithun, Muktar Ali, Saklain Sajib, Jahurul Islam, Abu Jayed Chowdhury, Murad Khan, Rasel Al Mamun.

Overseas players: Darren Sammy, Thisara Perera, Lendl Simmons, Sachithra Senanayake, Mohammad Nabi, Wahab Riaz. Misbah Ul Huq

Barisal Bulls:
Local players: Mahmudullah Riyad (Icon), Sabbir Rahman, Al-Amin Hossain, Sohag Gazi, Taijul Islam, Shahriar Nafees, Mehedi Maruf, Nadif Chowdhury, Rony Talukdar, Mohammad Sarifullah, Sajidul Islam.

Overseas players: Chris Gayle, Kevon Cooper, Evin Lewis, Brendan Taylor, Seekkuge Prasanna, Mohammad Sami, Imad Wasim, Riad Emrits

Dhaka Dynamites:
Local players: Nasir Hossain (Icon), Mustafizur Rahman, Mosharraf Hossain Rubel, Mosaddek Hossain, Shamsur Rahman, Saikat Ali, Farhad Reza, Nabil Samad, Abul Hasan, Irfan Shukkur, Sadman Islam

Overseas players: Kumar Sangakkara, Sohail Khan, Yasir Shah, Nasir Jamshed, Shahzaib Hasan, Mohammad Irfan, Ryan ten Doeschate, Dawid Malan.

Comilla Victorians:
The above list of players will evidence that Comilla Victorians with not the best team of the tournament on paper top the list for total commitment, great leadership and right choice of team combination for the matches.

Mashrafe as usual led from the front delivering his all-round performances in some matches. Even when he could not bowl and bat in the later matches for not being 100% his mere presence in the field drove his side.

The team got rude shock from suspension of their key recruit Sunil Narin at the early stage of the tournament for his suspect bowling action.

Another key player Marlon Samuels also left for Australia test tour after few matches. Mashrafe got injured after few matches, still he continued as usual. Rabbi struggled with injury. Dollar Mahmud drafted at the last minute to cover for Mashrafe also got injured. But like wounded tigers under inspiration of Mashrafe’s Victorians bounced back.

Local upcoming youngster Abu Haidar Rony emerged as match winning pacer match after match. Nuwan Kulasekera is bowling extremely well.  A little known Pakistani living in UK Ashar Ziadi appeared with effective all round performance.

Shoaib Malik and Ahamed Shehjad won few matches with solo performances. Imrul Kayes and Liton appeared with some performances. But Shubhagato Hom and Alok Kapali have delivered within their humble quality when required.

Mashrafe led his limited resources admirably. His Midas touch turned everything gold. Victorians will now have to play out of their skins to win the trophy. It is great teamwork that brought success for the team. Even if they do not win the trophy, Comilla fans must feel proud of their team. We do not think anything can keep “Pagla Mashrafe” away from cricket and his presence will matter in the acid test this afternoon against a very strong Rangpur Riders.

Rangpur Riders:
In our opinion Rangpur Riders is the strongest all round team of the tournament having all base covered. The top ranked ICC all-rounder in all format excepting test (Ravi Ashwin has over taken him) Shakib Al Hasan is in prolific form. In Wahab Riaz, Thisara Perera, local boy Abu Jayed makes the pace attack very effective.

On the slow low turning tracks Riders have the best spinning options in Shakib, Arafat Sunny, Saqlain Sajib and Mohammad Nabi. Batting has depth and diversity. Soumya has so far failed to play to his potential, yet Shakib himself Jahurul Islam Omi, Sammy.

Perera, Misbah and Nabi batted the team to victories. Riders is blessed with four top all-rounders of the game in Shakib, Sammy, Perera and Navi. They have four players who captained their national teams – Shakib, Sammy, Misbah and Nabi. It will not be surprising if he quality players, the experience and brain trust can take Riders to the top.

Barisal Bulls:
The most surprising qualifier from round one is Barisal Bulls who were never in the rating in pre-tournament analysis. They surprised most playing wonderfully attractive cricket with an average team like Comilla Victorians. Again the leadership of cool professional Mahmudullah Raid mattered.

Before arrival of their prized recruit Chris Gayle Bulls won 5 out of their 6 pool matches for extra ordinary performances of Al Amin Hossain, Elvin Lewis, Kevon Copper, Mohammad Sami and Mahmudullah himself. 

The success of the team laid in self-belief and performing to the best of their abilities. Players like Sabbir Rahman and Rony Talukdar struggled a bit. But new player like Mehedi Maruf has delivered when required.

Mohammad Sami and Al Amin bowled with pace and control consistently. Spin attack has quality in Sohag Gazi, Mahmudullah, Taijul Islam and Seekkuge Prasanna. Chris Gayle himself is a one-man army. If he is on song, nothing seems impossible.

In three matches, he played so far he delivered his business usual in one. If he appears in his true color he can destroy any bowling within minutes. His compatriots Elvin Leiws is also a good batsman, Kevon Cooper and Riad Emrit are also good all-rounders.

 Bulls have difficult challenge in the eliminator against Dhaka Dynamites. If they survive they have opportunity to go all the way.

Dhaka Dynamites:
Like Rangpur Riders Dynamites also is a very strong side on paper. They have also very strong bowling attack and some high quality experienced batsmen. But they had to struggle till the last minute to qualify as the last of the four for a little bit indifferent performance with the batting.

Local talent Shadman Islam and Saikat Ali opened the innings with mixed successes. Mussadek Hossain had few good innings.  Iconic Sangakkara is the nucleus of the batting.

Nasir had off and on performances. Farhad Reza and Nabil Samad also had limited successes with the bat. Boy wonder Mustafiz teased and tormented all opposition with his brilliant bowling.

Abul Hasan and Farhad Reza also gave vital break through. Yasir Shah was among the top spinners of the tournament. Mosharraf Hossain Rubel also bowled well. The team appears a bit thin in batting resources. In knock out match Sangakkara and Nasir must bat well and let the strong bowling line up runs to defend.

In general local top players failed to do justice to their talents in batting but they dominated the bowling. Soumya ,Sabbir ,Liton , Kayes and Anamul failed in consecutive matches .Young bowlers like Abu Haidar Rony, Al Amin Hossian and established bowlers Shakib, Sunny, Musharraf Rubel finished among the top ten.

It is very open tournament at business session. My head goes for a Rangpur-Dhaka final but my heart says Comilla Plays Bulls. As experts say, “T20 is a gamble.” Anything can happen when you gamble.

One batsman can change a game playing a blizzard like innings; one bowler with an inspired spell can win a match. Let us hope the best performing team of the four wins.

We are not sure how much BPL 2015 benefitted Bangladesh Cricket other than local youngsters getting their shoulders rubbed with some good international players. But some persons have definitely made their objectives fulfilled.

BDST: 0850 HRS, DEC 12, 2015
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