Akbar Ali says he enjoys the challenge of crisis situations, and his latest 64 was another example as Rangpur Division fought back from 42-5 to save their opening-round National Cricket League match against Dhaka.
With Rangpur staring at the possibility of a heavy defeat in their second innings, the captain held the innings together for 132 balls, scoring 64 with five fours and a six. Rangpur were eventually bowled out for 149, leaving Dhaka a target of 206.
The hosts, however, had only 4.1 overs to chase it down and finished on 9-0 before the match ended in a draw.
Akbar said his mindset was clear when he walked in during the crisis. With a win already out of reach, his priority was to stay at the crease long enough to remove the possibility of defeat.
“When I went in to bat, we actually had no chance of winning the match. We had to bat for two hours, otherwise there was a chance of creating a negative result,” Akbar said.
“Since we were playing to save the match, the approach was just to bat for two to two-and-a-half hours.”
The Rangpur captain has often found a way to contribute when his team is under pressure, but he does not have a particular formula for it. Instead, he says he enjoys the challenge that comes with being in a difficult situation.
“It is difficult for me to say exactly when I play well in these situations. But I enjoy those moments a little bit. I enjoy the challenge,” he said.
“I am happy that we were able to get out of that crisis moment as a team.”
The innings also came amid questions over his recent form. Akbar acknowledged that his Dhaka Premier League campaign fell short of his own expectations, but believes his overall performances over the past year do not suggest he is out of form.
“I feel that with the way I have been batting over the last year, I am not out of form. But the Dhaka Premier League did not go very well for me, not according to my own expectations,” he said.
“Before that, if you look at the NCL, BCL one-day and BCL four-day competitions, overall I would not say I have been out of form. I am just trying to make my innings bigger. That’s it.”
The 64 also came at a time when several places in the Bangladesh national team are open, bringing Akbar’s own chances of a return into focus.
“I try to stay ready. I am also trying to improve myself. But this call is not really in my hands. The selectors can answer that better,” he said.
