With Bangladesh withdrawing from the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup due to security concerns in co-host India following a government directive, domestic cricket has taken centre stage as the three-team Odommo Bangladesh T20 Cup gets underway.
Litton Das-led Dhumketu XI and Najmul Hossain Shanto’s Durbar XI have secured their places in the final, scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM today. Akbar Ali’s Duronto XI have been eliminated from the tournament. Ahead of the final, Durbar have strengthened their squad by including Sabbir Rahman.
Dhumketu boast a star-studded lineup featuring members of the World Cup squad. At the top, Litton is joined by Saif Hassan and Tanzid Hasan Tamim, while Parvez Hossain Emon and Towhid Hridoy add stability in the middle order. All-rounder Mahedi Hasan, currently the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, and Shamim Hossain Patwary provide firepower in the finishing role.
Bangladesh’s two leading T20 bowlers, Nasum Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman, have spearheaded the attack. Shoriful Islam, last BPL’s Player of the Tournament, has been Litton’s go-to man with the new ball, while Rishad Hossain, fresh from the Big Bash League, announced himself with a four-wicket haul to start the campaign.
Litton has also led from the front with the bat. He tops the run charts with 108 runs, including an unbeaten 65 in the opening match and a 43-run knock against Durbar in their second encounter.
While Dhumketu rely on star power, Shanto’s Durbar have leaned heavily on experience. Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nurul Hasan Sohan and Khaled Ahmed form the core of their campaign.
At the top, Habibur Rahman Sohan has provided explosive starts. In the must-win clash against Duronto, the left-handed opener smashed 39 off just 17 balls in a chase of 146 to seal their spot in the final. Mahmudul Hasan Joy has added stability alongside him.
Captain Shanto is yet to produce a big score, but Nurul has been prolific. He struck a blistering 76 off 44 balls against Dhumketu in their first meeting, including four sixes off Shoriful Islam in the 19th over that yielded 26 runs and tilted the chase decisively. Nurul currently sits second on the run-scoring list with 104 runs, following up with an unbeaten 28 in the second match.
For Durbar, Hasan Mahmud and Khaled Ahmed have been key with both the new and old ball. In the decisive last match, Khaled returned impressive figures of 4-0-23-4. Speaking at the pre-final press conference, he made his intentions clear.
“Our team is quite well-balanced. The bowling lineup is also strong. On February 9, in the final, our aim will be to become champions,” Khaled said.
Despite Dhumketu’s star power, Khaled is confident in Durbar’s experienced core. “Experienced national team players are competing here. I always try to enjoy the game. When I enjoy it, my best naturally comes from within,” he added.
Dhumketu assistant coach Mohammad Ashraful, meanwhile, placed his trust in skipper Litton’s leadership.
“What I appreciate most about Litton’s captaincy is that he always gives a bowler the opportunity to make a comeback and tries to put them in new situations,” Ashraful said.
Predicted XI
Dhumketu
Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das, Parvez Emon, Towhid Hridoy, Mahedi Hasan, Shamim Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mukidul Islam Mughdho
Durbar
Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Habibur Rahman Sohan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Saif Uddin, Khaled Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Tanvir Islam
