Shakib’s tips work wonders for Waseem

UAE opener Muhammad Waseem carried his ILT20 form into the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), hitting a blistering half-century on his return to the tournament to help Rajshahi Warriors beat Noakhali Express by four wickets at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Ahead of BPL 12, Waseem featured for MI Emirates -- the runners-up in the recently concluded ILT20 -- where he finished as the second-highest run-scorer with 370 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 131.67.

The 31-year-old opener joined Rajshahi on Wednesday as a replacement for Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan, who left for Sri Lanka due to national team commitments. Waseem made an instant impact in his first appearance, smashing 60 off 35 balls, an innings laced with four fours and four sixes.

With this knock, he not only earned his maiden player-of-the-match award in the BPL but also redeemed himself after a disappointing debut in the league two years earlier.

In the 2023–24 season, Waseem had managed just one run off seven balls for Chattogram Challengers in his only innings. This time however, he showcased his class and played a decisive role in Rajshahi's victory.

"I am very happy with my performance and contribution to the team, and also with my first player-of-the-match award in the BPL. Inshallah, I will try to carry this momentum into the upcoming games," Waseem told reporters after the match.

Waseem revealed that advice from Bangladesh veteran Shakib Al Hasan, who was his teammate in MI Emirates, played a key role in his successful return.

"Shakib bhai is like a big brother to me. I have played a lot of cricket with him, and he has served Bangladesh immensely. He is a true legend. I learned many things from him both on and off the field. Before coming here, I asked him what I should do in Bangladesh. He gave me some tips, and I used them today [Thursday]," Waseem said.

He also credited Rajshahi's bowlers for restricting Noakhali to 151 for five. "I think after the first 10 overs the wicket played a bit better. I give full credit to our bowlers -- they bowled excellently in the last 10 overs. After that, we got a good start while chasing, which helped us maintain the momentum."