Chattogram Challengers will hope that their impact players can deliver when it matters most as they aim to spring a surprise in the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 tournament.
Chattogram showed some worthy performance in the last BPL with an average team. This time also they did not run towards famous stars. However, there are several players in the squad of Chattogram Challengers who can meet the needs of T20 and they will be their big hopes in this season.
Chattogram retained Afif Hossain on a direct contract. The regular face of the Bangladesh T20 team is also a trusted name for the team. A glimpse of Afif was seen in important matches in the last season.
Afif does not get the opportunity to bat up in the order in the national team but it is proved that he gives his best as a top order batsmen. Since he will be playing as a top order batter, Chattogram expect to get his best like the previous season.
They brought in Lankan pacer Vishwa Fernando, off-spinning all-rounder Ashan Priyanjan and Ireland's Curtis Camper on direct deals. In the meantime, Camper has shown glimpses of his talent in the last World Cup. His batting with medium pace can be the biggest asset of the team.
Chattogram did not go for local big stars after getting the opportunity from the Draft. The first two they picked, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury and Shuvagat Hom Chowdhury, who are not in the national team. While Shuvagata had the experience to play for the national team, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury even doesn't make his debut.
Shuvagata is a regular performer in domestic cricket as an off-spinning all-rounder. This right-hander can ransack any bowling as a lower middle order batter. His off spin is very effective in Bangladeshi conditions and he can bowl in the power play.
Although he could not make it to the national team, Mrittunjoy has already made himself known. He showed it in the last BPL. He also picked up a hat-trick in last BPL and showed his ability as a death over specialist. This left-hander is also very smart with the bat as he can play effective innings when it matters most.
Chattogram has taken Max O'Dowd of the Netherlands in a bid to open the innings. He had a great T20 World Cup campaign last year in Austrlia. But there is gulf of difference of the wicket in Australia and Bangladesh.
Chattogram has also taken the Unmukt Chand, the former Under-19 captain of India who took the citizenship of the United States. Chand rather knew the conditions of Asia rather well.
Chand is considered as one of the most talented batter in India but somehow lost his form for a long time and so the Indian selectors excluded him from the radar. But if he can find his form, he can make big difference. Taufiq Khan Tushar is an alternative among the locals in this place. He came into the discussion by batting aggressively in first class cricket for the Sylhet division.
Taijul Islam is the big name of the team in left-arm spin. Taijul is still not strong in T20 cricket. There is a challenge ahead of him. They have retained experienced domestic cricket all-rounders like Farhad Reza and Ziaur Rahman. There is keeper batter Irfan Sukkur. They can make a difference in their day.
The pace attack is not very sharp to say the least. Mrittunjoy will be accompanied by another left-handed pacer Mehedi Hasan Rana. There is also right-handed pacer Abu Jayed Rahi who has not been in form recently. Even if Rana gets a wicket, he proves himself expensive. It remains to be seen how much the bowling deficit will affect the team.
Chattogram Challengers will take on Sylhet Strikers in the first match of BPL on January 6.
