After returning to the Bangladesh national team, Saif Hassan impressed with confident batting. However, he has struggled to maintain that form in the BPL. Representing Dhaka Capitals, his performance has been disappointing. In eight BPL matches, he has scored only 60 runs, averaging 7.50. The team also had a challenging campaign, being eliminated before the playoffs.
These performances have raised questions about Saif’s form, confidence, and preparation for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, where he serves as Bangladesh’s vice-captain and carries significant responsibility in the batting lineup. Dhaka Capitals head coach Golam Mortuza addressed these concerns in detail.
Mortuza described Saif as a national asset and highlighted the gap between expectations and reality. “Saif Hassan is a national asset. If he had scored runs, our team selected him expecting such performances. Unfortunately, he couldn’t, and we pray he performs well in the World Cup.”
Despite BPL struggles, Mortuza emphasised Saif’s preparation and confidence during practice sessions. “Most of the time during nets, everything he does is top-class. Even yesterday, he was the best batter in practice. He has played well for Bangladesh in recent series, but in this tournament, he hasn’t succeeded.”
On whether the wicket contributed to Saif’s struggles, the coach dismissed that idea, instead highlighting the pitch quality and team scoring: “Today’s wicket was very good. As you can see, it was excellent. Even for second innings batting, it was better. Several wickets fell in the powerplay, yet we scored 171.”
Although Dhaka Capitals are out of the tournament, the team’s focus on Saif extends beyond the BPL. With the World Cup approaching, restoring his confidence is the main priority. Mortuza said, “We are encouraging Saif Hassan within the team to regain form and perform. Even if our team doesn’t reach the playoffs, we want him to score here so he can perform well for our country in the World Cup. That is our focus, and the management is constantly supporting and boosting his confidence.”
Mortuza also explained that Saif’s batting position was carefully planned, considering challenges against the new ball. “We discussed it with Saif, and he agreed. Sometimes new ball movement can be difficult, so we planned to settle him slightly lower and then move him up later. He agreed with the plan.”
Despite disappointing BPL statistics, Dhaka Capitals management remains confident that Saif Hassan will return to his best form in the national jersey for the upcoming World Cup.
