‘People think cricket is very easy’: Mahmudullah after match-winning knock

Former Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad bounced back from criticism over failure to score one off the final ball in the previous match with a match-winning 34 not out off 16 balls for the Rangpur Riders against Sylhet Titans in their Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match in Sylhet on Friday.

Against Rajshahi Warriors the previous day, Mahmudullah came to the crease for the final ball of the innings with scores level. Rangpur required him to turn the strike over to complete the win, but he failed to do so against Ripon Mondol, trying to run a single only to get run out at the non-striker's end.

Rangpur went on to lose the match in the Super Over and Mahmudullah was seen as one of the architects of the defeat.

"When it comes to delivering, sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't," Mahmudullah said about the Rajshahi match after his player-of-the-match performance against Sylhet on Friday.

"People often think cricket is very easy. Especially those who bat in the late middle order in T20s know very well how important and how risky that position is. It's not easy to be consistently successful in that role. If you try for the team -- sometimes you'll succeed, sometimes you'll end up failing," he added.

The 39-year-old was overlooked in the first round of the BPL players auction and was later picked up at base price Rangpur in the second round.

Mahmudullah admitted that he was "shocked" at not being picked initially and said wanted to repay the team's faith for believing in him.

"Yes, I was watching [the auction] and I was really shocked. Because if you look at performances and statistics over the last two or three years, I think I'm ahead of many national team cricketers in terms of strike rate, average or runs.

"At the beginning no one picked me, and then they [Rangpur] gave me this opportunity. I also wanted to play in the BPL. After getting this chance, I feel a strong drive to prove my ability for the franchise and team owners, and for the coach and the captain."