Rangpur Riders assistant coach Mohammad Ashraful believes Bangladesh’s World Cup-bound players are heading in the right direction, insisting there are no shortcomings in their preparation ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Ashraful’s comments came after Rangpur moved to the top of the Bangladesh Premier League table with a five-wicket win over Chattogram Royals in a high-intensity contest in Sylhet.
Batting first, Chattogram posted a competitive 169, led by Adam Rossington’s fluent 58 off 41 balls. Hasan Nawaz added 46 from 38 deliveries, while late contributions from Aamer Jamal and Sheikh Mahedi Hasan lifted the total in the closing overs.
Rangpur’s chase was set up by an explosive powerplay from Kyle Mayers, who raced to 50 from just 25 balls as the Riders surged to 72 without loss in the first six overs. Khushdil Shah and Mahmudullah Riyad then applied the finishing touches with composed batting to see the side home comfortably.
With the T20 World Cup set to follow immediately after the BPL, Rangpur have four players in Bangladesh’s 15-man squad — captain Litton Kumar Das, Towhid Hridoy, Mustafizur Rahman and wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan Sohan. Ashraful feels the demands of the league are serving as ideal preparation.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, he said:
“Players are much more aware now. Everyone in the Bangladesh team is conscious about fitness and diet. There is no better preparation than playing competitive matches. Litton, Hridoy, Sohan and Mustafizur are all in the World Cup squad and they train every day. We are playing back-to-back games. Injuries are unpredictable, but you cannot afford to sit out. I see this tournament as part of World Cup preparation.”
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be held in India and Sri Lanka from 7 February to 8 March.
