'If they are qualified, they will get in'
According to BCB director Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, the reason for their failure to secure a team lies in the performance of Bangladesh’s national team in T20 cricket.
Twelve Bangladeshi cricketers had entered the auction for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, none of them were picked by any franchise. Only Mustafizur Rahman and Rishad Hossain's names came up in the mega auction held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Neither of them received any interest from the IPL franchises. According to BCB director Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, the reason for their failure to secure a team lies in the performance of Bangladesh's national team in T20 cricket.
The seasoned local coach believes that the performance of the Bangladesh team and its players in T20s has been a major factor behind the failure to get selected. Speaking at Mirpur on Wednesday, he said, "Personally, I feel sad, but I judge our standard directly. If I get a place on the global stage, it means my position is good. If I don't get a place, it means my position isn't good."
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The IPL is a long tournament, lasting for about two months, and it's considered the most exciting domestic cricket competition. It's often said that Bangladeshi cricketers don't get opportunities in the IPL because they cannot get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for such an extended period.
However, this time, the situation was viewed positively. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had planned to issue NOCs for most of the players entering the auction for a two-week period.
Nazmul Abedeen emphasized that Bangladeshi cricketers would get opportunities in the IPL if they prove their worth. He said, "I cannot force players into a franchise league. If they are qualified, they will get in. There was an opportunity for us last year or the year before, when a few pace bowlers had a chance or a space was opening up. But we couldn't capitalize on it. I think we should focus on making the most of these international opportunities."
Even though no Bangladeshi cricketers were selected in the IPL, eight Afghan cricketers will play in the upcoming season. Drawing on Afghanistan's example, Nazmul Abedeen said, "A great example for us is Afghanistan. Afghanistan has slowly brought their players into this arena.
Gradually, the number of their players is increasing, while we are lagging behind. We should take advantage of this opportunity. In the near future, we will make that effort."
