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Pakistani players participating in Bangladesh's NCL T20

leonblack08

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NCL Twenty20
Franchises taking shape
Sports Reporter

Just two days ahead of another Twenty20 fiesta, three teams have thrown up big names while the other trio have remained silent on their team composition, particularly their foreign imports.

Twenty20 specialists Imran Nazir and Rana Navedul Hasan are set to join the Dhaka Dynamites for the National Cricket League T20s that will begin on April 11.

Nazir and Rana Naved played in the recently-concluded Port City League where the swashbuckling opener starred for eventual champions Chittagong Brothers Union while the all-rounder was in the books of Noakhali Top Sports.

Apart from the Pakistani duo, the Dhaka franchise are also eyeing Sri Lankan leg-spinning all-rounder Jeewan Mendis to balance an already quality squad of players that include the likes of Mohammad Ashraful, Mahmudullah Riyad and the evergreen Mohammad Rafique. The team will be coached by Bangladesh's assistant coach Khaled Mahmud.

Kings of Khulna, bought by ATN Bangla chairman Mahfuzur Rahman, have contacted Pakistani opener Imran Farhat and are looking for another all-rounder from Sri Lanka.

A team source revealed that the Khulna franchise, to be coached by former Bangladesh coach Sarwar Imran, are eyeing players from the Indian Premier League (IPL) once the semifinal line-up in that tournament is complete.

The Cyclones of Chittagong, who on Wednesday revealed that Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhter will be one of their foreign acquisitions, are also looking for another Sri Lankan all-rounder but have already acquired the services of Mohammad Salahuddin, the Tigers' fielding coach.

But apart from Dhaka, Khulna and Chittagong, the other three teams are still undecided on their foreign imports.

Barisal Blazers' Icon Player Shahriar Nafees informed that he would sit with the team owners after today's first practice session to discuss team matters.

"We haven't talked to our team owners about our foreign players. We will do it tomorrow (Friday) when we practice and then we can tell you about our prospects," said Nafees who also addedFranchises taking shape that former Bangladesh captain Minhazul Abedin would be the coach of their team.

Rajshahi's first-class captain Khaled Mashud was also unaware of his team's foreign players and like the Barisal franchise, the Rajshahi Rangers are still waiting to meet the team owners. Mashud also said that he would like to see Naeem Islam captain the team instead of him although the team officials have indicated they want him to lead.

"I think Naeem should lead the side. I will be there in the field but I think Naeem has a future in this format and he should be the captain," said Mashud.

All the franchises are going for either Pakistanis or Sri Lankans since the IPL has kept most Twenty20 specialists busy but teams are ready to splurge on foreign imports for the weeklong tournament. According to a tournament organiser, the team owners, most of whom are top entrepreneurs, are looking to get the best available foreign players and are keenly awaiting for the IPL players to show up in the latter part of the competition.

Meanwhile, the Sultans of Sylhet will disclose their team details including the status of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and name their team sponsors, co-owners, chief patrons, advisors and also reveal their foreign players in a press conference at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today.

Franchises taking shape
 
It will be nice to see our pakistani bros play in bd. I am really happy to see the way criket being progress in BD. Very nice....:yahoo:

---------- Post added at 11:37 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:36 AM ----------

^^is this NCL's first year?

Yes it is...:cheers:
 
Mashrafe back to lead Sultans

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NARAIL EXPRESS RETURNS: Sultans of Sylhet captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza shares a light moment with his deputy Alok Kapali before his team's official press conference at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.Photo: STARSports Reporter

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza surprised everyone yesterday when he entered the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium conference room with Alok Kapali in the Sultans of Sylhet's official press conference ahead of the National Cricket League T20s.

Mashrafe was named captain of the Sylhet franchise after being given the green signal from his Indian Premier League side Kolkata Knight Riders to play in the domestic competition at home.

Mashrafe has so far failed to make even a single appearance for the Knight Riders in the ongoing season of the IPL, being restricted solely to practicing in the nets.

"(Kolkata) Knight Riders released me because it is far better to play matches than just practice," said Mashrafe, who was enlisted as an A+ grade player but not an icon player, which would have tied him to one of the franchises automatically, rather than being claimed by Sylhet.

"(Sultans' co-owner) Ali Asif Khan had a talk with them (Kolkata management) and they told me that they would clear my payments although I'm playing for Sylhet now,"
he informed when asked about his arrangement with the IPL team who are currently sixth in the points table with five wins from ten matches.

With no more IPL this season, playing for Sylhet will be his top priority and the Narail Express was optimistic of his team's chances in the tournament.

"We will definitely go for the championship. We believe that our young players would be important to our chances. We also have experienced players like Alok (Kapali) and (Mosharraf) Rubel so I'm very hopeful," said the national paceman.

Alok Kapali, the Sultans' Icon player, will be Mashrafe's deputy while Forhad Reza, Nazmul Hossain Milon, Nazmus Sadat and Dhiman Ghosh will add balance to the side.

The Sultans' also announced that Pakistan's Faisal Iqbal and Rashed Hanif and Sri Lankan Indika de Saram would fulfil their foreigners' quota.

Iqbal, the right-handed batsman who played in the Port City League in Sharjah earlier this month, received a clearance to play in the tournament from the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Indian news agency ANI had earlier quoted Iqbal as saying that he is looking forward to doing well to force his way into the national squad after he couldn't make it into the Pakistan's World T20s side.

"I'm hoping that my performances in Twenty20 format will be noticed by the selectors because I've had several good scores in the National Twenty20 Cup and the Sharjah event," Iqbal said.

Mashrafe, who will play in the forthcoming World Twenty20s in West Indies, mentioned how the NCL T20s is a great stage for all players even though the national team has already been selected for the Caribbean tournament.

"This tournament will be a good preparation for us but I still think that the other players have a great chance to show their skills in this format even though the team has been selected. A good performance will further their chances in future selections," said Mashrafe.

He also hoped the franchises keep this trend of buying into divisional teams for the first-class competition as well. "The players will be benefited financially if the franchise system is also followed in the four-day format," he added.

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhit is the chief patron of the Sultans.

Sultans' co-owner Rizwan Bin Farouq also informed that Dipu Roy Chowdhury will coach the side while former selectors Faruque Ahmed and Athar Ali Khan will be part of the team management.

Brac Bank will be the team sponsor while the other co-owners are Latif Khan, Farid Khan, Masih Malek Chowdhury and Mohammad A. Momen.

Mashrafe back to lead Sultans
 
Akthar-powered Cyclones take on Rangers

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Rajshahi Rangers skipper Khaled Mashud (C) is all smiles as he attends a press briefing along with Citycell's Taslim Ahmed (R) and captain Saifur Rahman, the managing director of Net World, at Sonargaon Hotel yesterday. Photo: Star Sports Reporter

The opening evening of the National Cricket League T20s will see the finalists of the tournament's first-class version take on each other at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today. Rajshahi and Chittagong battled out in the final last month with the Khaled Mashud-led side coming up trumps in a high-scoring draw a month ago.

New nicknames, a slight change of personnel in both line-ups and additional firepower from abroad would add even more spice to the contest to be played out in Mirpur this evening from 7.45pm.

Chittagong pair Tamim Iqbal and Aftab Ahmed and their foreign imports Shoaib Akhter and Khurram Manzoor would be the biggest attraction for the crowd at the premier cricket venue.

Faisal Hossain, Uttam Sarker, Marshall Ayub would provide apt support to the likes of Manzoor, Tamim and Aftab in the batting department.

Chittagong also boast a strong bowling attack with left-arm spinners Saqlain Sajib and Enamul Haque leading the way while Nasir Hossain and Mohammad Sharifullah providing stability to the side.

Cylcones of Chittagong coach Mohammad Salahuddin said that he had a strong batting and bowling attack but expected the format's unpredictability.

"The team is balanced with experienced bowlers and batsmen but whoever does well on the day will win. Every team will fight till the end that's for sure," said Salahuddin, also part of the Tigers coaching staff.

He also informed that Manzoor trained with the side yesterday while Akhter was scheduled to arrive late last night. Both are expected to play in today's match.

Though the Cyclones look a strong side on paper but it would be tough to ignore a workmanlike Rajshahi Rangers side, boosted by the arrival of Australian big-hitter Aiden Blizzard and Sri Lankan all-rounder Kaushal Lokuarac-hchi.

The 27-year-old Lokuarachchi's leg-spin would be key since few local batsmen face the sort regularly. Blizzard, the Victorian opener who recently played in the Port City League in Sharjah, would be a welcome addition to a side that already boast big hitters like Naeem Islam, Junaed Siddiqui and Ejaz Ahmed.

Their captain Khaled Mashud said at a press conference yesterday that he expected his team to play like champions since they won the first-class competition only recently.

"We are the first-class champions so I expect everyone to be serious," said the former national captain who has the likes of Shafiul Islam, Sohrawardi Shuvo and Sanjamul Islam in his bowling attack.

The press conference was the official launch of the Rajshahi Rangers franchise where it was revealed that a new owner had taken over the team. Captain Saifur Rahman, managing director of Net World, also informed that they had changed the team logo as it represented his hopes and aspirations with the team but the team's moniker remained the same.

Citycell are the main sponsors of the team while AB Bank are the co-sponsors.

Akthar-powered Cyclones take on Rangers
 
Salaam Brothers,

This seems as if it's going to be pretty impressive. Anyone know which Tv channel will have the rights to televise the matches live?
 
It will be aired on ATN Bangla,but expect the quality of telecast to be very bad.Because BD channels don't have enough experience and equipment to telecast cricket matches.
 
It will be aired on ATN Bangla,but expect the quality of telecast to be very bad.Because BD channels don't have enough experience and equipment to telecast cricket matches.

Reward given to fat boy only for being Awami dalal. :tdown:
 
Akhtar still trying hard. Why did he ruined his career at 1st place? Anyway good to see him playing in Bangladesh. Let's see if he can make any room in the Pakistani national side with Asif, Amir, and Gul already producing results for Pakistan.
 
Shoaib Akhtar in NCL T20
3 matches
11 Overs
95 runs
1 wicket
Econ: 8.63

He has made $18,000 for this performance. Sad but No wonder that Chittagong has released him with 2 matches to go.


97lbh0.jpg


Source: banglacricket.com
 
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