Ashraful, Shahadat fail to make a cut in BCL
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||CF Correspondent||
Bangladesh’s first-ever ODI hat-trick taker Shahadat Hossain and former national captain Mohammad Ashraful could not attract any team in the players’ draft for Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) on Saturday (November 17).
The seventh edition of BCL, a franchise-based first-class tournament, will start from November 21.
Ashraful, who targeted the recently-concluded National Cricket League (NCL) to make a comeback into the national side, failed to impress as he could only muster 253 runs at 25.30 besides taking 11 wickets in six matches in the competition.
“It is surely disappointing to miss the BCL,” Ashraful reportedly said. “I couldn't perform well in last National Cricket League. I think this may be the reason for anyone not picking me for BCL.”
Though Ashraful failed to find a place in any team due to his poor performance in the NCL, which he certainly admits, the reason behind the franchises ignoring Shahadat is still unknown.
Despite taking 17 scalps in five matches at an average of 22.11 and finishing among the top seven wicket-takers in NCL, Shahadat could not manage to prove his worth to any of the four teams in BCL.
“I can still challenge and say that if any fast-bowler can do better than me, I will leave the game,” Shahadat said. “If I hadn’t had the ability, then I would not have played cricket earlier. There were a lot of fast-bowlers in my time who cannot play now because they are not fit anymore. I'm still bowling at nearly 140 [kmph]. I’m not too old. If I'm bowling well and fitness is good then why wouldn’t I get the chance?”
The pacer further voiced his outrage saying that the reason behind Bangladesh’s shortcomings of the pace unit in the longest version is due to such ignorance which deprives the actual performers of an opportunity.
“I think it’s a bad time for cricket. If someone does not get a chance even after performing, he will automatically fall behind. Why isn’t any good pacer coming into the Bangladesh national team? Because those who are performing aren’t getting the chance. But those who have many flaws are getting the opportunity,” he said.
