BPL: The testing ground for World Cup hopefuls

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) places heavy expectations on players from the franchises' side, creating a competitive grind that sharpens Bangladesh's national team toolbox, particularly those in the pipeline. From that perspective, the BPL offers a major platform to showcase performance in franchise cricket, but this time it presents a unique opportunity for players aiming to break into the Bangladesh T20I squad ahead of the World Cup in February.

That opportunity, however, also brings added pressure. Bangladesh T20I skipper Litton Das recently stated that the "team has been ready since the Asia Cup" following the Tigers' final bilateral series against Ireland before the global event. Litton further indicated that the window of opportunity is limited, suggesting that only extraordinary performances in the 12th edition of the BPL would "open doors" for players not involved in the most recent T20I series.

Read more

Full Fixtures of BPL 12

For Bangladesh, the biggest concern remains the batting department. While players such as Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon and Saif Hassan have shown improvement at international level, the BPL could just as easily work against their World Cup prospects if runs are not forthcoming.

Jaker Ali, Nurul Hasan and Shamim Hossain were each tried during the Ireland T20I series, but none provided a clear solution to Bangladesh's middle-order issues. Mahidul Islam Ankon, included to assess "backup options", did not even get a game.

Even Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is looking at the BPL as a route back into the T20I setup. With possibly just one middle-order slot available, the tournament represents a major opportunity for Ankon and others to stake a claim for World Cup selection.

Ankon's Noakhali Express held their final training session in Dhaka yesterday before departing for Sylhet on Wednesday for the first phase of the BPL, and the batter remained optimistic about his chances.

"I feel if I can play good cricket, that chance will come," Ankon said.

Ankon typically bats at number seven or eight in franchise cricket, roles that are currently of importance to the national team.

"Those of us in the middle or lower middle order may see our positions change at any time. So we are not trying to settle into a specific role. Instead, we are discussing possible batting positions and individual plans," he added, referring to discussions with Noakhali coach Khaled Mahmud.

Ankon was among the standout performers in the previous edition of the BPL, scoring 316 runs for Khulna Tigers at an average of just over 35 and a strike rate exceeding 170. Players such as Towhid Hridoy and Shanto had previously used the BPL as a launchpad into the national side. Aware of the dangers of carrying excess pressure, Ankon also mentioned he does not want to "think too far ahead".

Competing for a place in the playing XI alongside players such as Jaker, and against international stars set to feature in the BPL, could shape future selections. Like Ankon, several players will hope their performances in this edition resemble a final push for World Cup inclusion. After failing to make a significant impact in tournaments such as the Rising Stars Asia Cup, the BPL offers players like Ankon and Shanto a final chance to press their case.