Chattogram Royals started their Bangladesh Premier League campaign with a solid win on Friday. They defeated Noakhali Express by 65 runs on the opening day. Sheikh Mahedi Hasan led the team in his first match as captain.
The victory came after a tense period for the franchise. A day before the BPL began, the owners stepped away from Chattogram Royals. The Bangladesh Cricket Board then took over the team. Changes were also made to the coaching and support staff.
After the match, Sheikh Mahedi Hasan spoke about the situation. He said, “As players, you also saw that it was a bit difficult. At the end of the day, it is cricket, so we adjusted quickly. That was important.” He added that everything was sorted before the match, which helped the players feel relaxed. “Since it was done before the start, no one is under pressure now. We are mentally free,” he said.
Mahedi also reflected on his captaincy and the win. “A win is a win. I am completely new to captaincy. I have not captained much before at a higher level,” he said. He admitted he felt excited and thanked God for the result.
Talking about the match plan, Mahedi said, “There will be dew in night matches, so choosing to bat first after winning the toss was a good decision by the coach.” He added that the batting was not very long, but the bowlers did a very good job.
The Chattogram captain summed it up by saying, “No matter how many storms come, when you step onto the field, you always want to give your best.”
