Unity is strength for Fortune Barishal

They are the reigning champions of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), and Fortune Barishal have built a squad this season worthy of defending their title. After assembling a formidable team, Tamim Iqbal's side made an emphatic start on the field, winning nine out of their twelve matches to secure a spot in the play-offs.

Their dominance continued in the quest for a place in the final, as Barishal crushed Chittagong Kings by nine wickets. What's the secret behind such consistent success? According to Fortune Barishal's coach, Mizanur Rahman Babul, the key lies in the team's unity.

Barishal have focused on maintaining team cohesion by retaining much of the squad from the previous season. Alongside captain Tamim, stalwarts like Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, and Kyle Mayers continue to don Barishal's colours. Coach Babul believes that when players represent the same team over multiple seasons, emotional bonds develop, fostering unity and contributing to positive results. Ahead of the final, during a practice session in Mirpur, Babul elaborated on the secret to his team's success.

Having guided Barishal to the final for two consecutive seasons, the coach remarked, "We tried to retain the core of the squad that won the championship. The key to our success is unity (bonding), which is crucial. When players step onto the field, there's a strong sense of belonging to the team. This emotional connection drives performance. Most of the players from last season are still with us, and that continuity has played a role in reaching the final."

Referring to earlier comments about Barishal being title contenders from the outset, Babul added, "When we built this team, everyone said we had a championship squad—the media, even the players joked that we barely needed to play because the team was that strong. But we assembled this squad with the aim of winning the championship. Our team combination reflects that. Whether we can clinch the title will be clear on the 7th, but we've made it to the final. Our team combination and bonding have paid off. From day one, we set our sights on playing in the final, and we've achieved that goal."

Previously, national team captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was left out of the playing XI due to team combination decisions, as explained by Tamim. Coach Babul echoed this rationale, emphasising that altering a winning combination could risk disrupting the team's momentum. In Babul's words, "When you break a team's combination, there's always a risk of defeat because the momentum can shift. This tournament has provided examples of that. We didn't want to lose our momentum, which is why we've stuck to the same combination."