Mahmudullah: Charismatic captain
Bangladesh Twenty20 skipper Mahmudullah Riyad grabbed the opportunity of winning both of the country’s first domestic tournaments in the pandemic era as captain as he helped Gemcon Khulna clinch the Bangabandhu Twenty20 Cup.
Khulna beat Gazi Group Chattogram by five runs in the final on the trunk of a captain’s knock by Mahmudullah and lifted the title of Bangabandhu Twenty20 Cup at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Friday.
Delivered to bat, Gemcon Khulna were able to amass a modest 155 runs for the increased loss of seven wickets where Mahmudullah scored the lion’s share of the runs, an unbeaten 70 off 48 balls, which proved to be enough towards the end as Chattogram were limited to 150-6 in 20 overs.
The all-rounder, earlier, led Mahmudullah XI to the title of the BCB President’s Cup, a three-team fifty-over tournament in October.
Both the tournaments are area of the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s plan of bringing cricket back the country following the lengthy COVID-19 induced break.
Mahmudullah chose these new tournaments as a platform to showcase his captaincy features after being overlooked by BCB for the one-day international captaincy position earlier this season that went vacant following a resignation of Mashrafee Mortaza from the post.
Mahmudullah was among the leading candidates to dominate the role but the board ignored him and chosen Tamim Iqbal, who's yet showing his potential as a leader considering his team failed to play the ultimate of the BCB President’s Cup and got knocked out in the eliminator in the Bangabandhu Twenty20 Cup.
“I can’t require more any other thing more,” Mahmudullah said after lifting the trophy adding that he is pleased with just how his team performed as a unit.
“We have to credit the bowlers and batsmen combined with the fielders for giving their all and as a result, we've achieved our goal,” he said.
“We lost some wickets initially and we needed to form a partnership as we'd to score at least 140-150 runs for the reason that wicket was very good,” he said.
“Losing quick wickets is always problematic for batsmen and if this is the case in final it'll be difficult chasing runs,” he said.
Mahmudullah said that he is pleased to contribute with the willow while added that he's grateful to Mashrafe Mortaza as his experience helped him a whole lot in making a decision.
“In the first few matches, I could not bat the way I wanted but I did not give up and I am glad I could contribute,” he said.
“Special thanks to my team and especially to Mash (Mashrafe) as he helped me a whole lot along with his experience that made possible for me when it came to decision making,” he said.
Mahmudullah has previously led his side to the final of Bangladesh Premier League twice, Chittagong Kings in 2013 and Barisal Bulls in 2015, but on both occasions, his side ended up as runners-up.
