Initially, the eighth season of the Bangladesh Premier League was set to take place in March 2021. However, it was postponed indefinitely owing to the coronavirus outbreak. Later the BCB announced that the franchise-based T20 cricket league BPL will take place from January 21 to February 18, 2022. The forthcoming competition will include a total of six teams and the eighth edition of the Players’ draft took place on December 27 (Monday). As usual, there were some surprises in this draft. The SWOT analysis of each BPL 2022 team is discussed in this article.
The Bangladesh Premier League 2022 Venues
The Bangladesh Premier League 2022 will be conducted in three venues. Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka, Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, and Sylhet International Cricket Stadium are the three venues, respectively. As expected, all venues are likely to favor the spinners. However, given the popularity of the T20 format, BCB will attempt to produce some batting-friendly pitches.
Six Participating Teams of BPL 2022 At a Glance
Dhaka, Chattogram Challengers, Khulna Tigers, Fortune Barishal, Sylhet Sunrisers, and Cumilla Victorians are the six teams who will compete in the T20 format’s Bangladesh Premier League. Let’s look at each squad separately.
Dhaka
Team Dhaka startled everyone by signing three of Bangladesh’s finest cricketers. Bangladesh’s T20I skipper Mahmudullah Riyad was a straight signing, but they surprised everyone when they picked ODI Captain Tamim Iqbal and veteran Mashrafe Mortaza from the draft. They have a total of 18 players in the squad, with five from the foreign category.
Strength
Dhaka’s biggest strength in their quest for a fourth BPL title is having experienced Mashrafe, Mahmudullah, and Tamim in the team. Mashrafe is the most successful skipper in the history of the BPL, while Tamim and Mahmudullah are among the tournament’s most successful run-getters.
Weakness
The T20 format cricket requires the use of young players to provide energy on the field, but Dhaka’s lineup is somewhat aged. The fact that they have an older squad may come back to haunt them when it comes to fielding. Therefore, this is Dhaka’s main weakness.
Opportunity
To begin with, this competition will provide a massive opportunity for Bangladesh T20 captain Mahmudullah Riyad to win the BPL as a captain. Despite appearing in two finals in the Bangladesh Premier League, Riyad has never won a title. Besides, leg-spinner Rishad Hossain can show off his skills if given a regular opportunity.
Threat
If Dhaka’s star players can’t find their rhythm during the competition, they might be in big trouble. Mashrafe hasn’t played competitive cricket in over a year, while Tamim is recovering from an injury. Both the players are unlikely to feature in the competition on a regular basis.
Squad:
M Riyad (c), I Udana, Q Ahmad, N Zadran, T Iqbal, R Hossain, M Mortaza, S Hom, M Shahzad, F Farooqi, M Naim, A Sunny, I Uzzaman, S Islam, J Islam, S Rahman, E Hossain, R Hossain.
Chattogram Challengers
Chattogram has built a young squad because they don’t have any famous names from the domestic category. They do, however, have young Bangladeshi stars such as Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, and Shamim Hossain. Chattogram’s foreign category players will bear the brunt of the pressure in this season of the BPL.
Strength
This squad includes a number of young Bangladeshi players as well as some seasoned international players. The team is expected to be one of the finest fielding units in the competition. With Benny Howell, Chadwick Walton, and Rayad Emrit in the lineup, the young Bangladesh players may have a better chance of showcasing their skills during the competition.
Weakness
Foreign recruiters are competent, but their major flaw is that they lack experience with local players. Chattogram may struggle to perform at the tournament’s most vital stage because of it. Another key drawback for the Challengers is that they don’t have enough options in the roster.
Opportunity
With the T20 World Cup in November 2022, Akbar Ali, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, and Mukidul Islam will have plenty of opportunities to impress the selectors. Aside, power hitter Sabbir Rahman will be eager to seize this opportunity to return to the national squad.
Threat
With a small squad compared to other teams, Chattogram may have difficulty putting together an ideal playing XI if someone is injured.
Squad:
N Ahmed, B Howell, K Lewis, W Jacks, S Islam, A Hossain, S Hossain, M Islam, C Walton, R Emrit, R Raja, S Rahman, M Chowdhury, M Hasan, A Ali, N Islam
Khulna Tigers
Khulna Tigers have acquired Mr. Reliable Mushfiqur Rahim as a direct signing. They have also added some well-known Sri Lankan players to their roster.
Strength
Khulna have a number of proven T20 players who can change the course of a match. Mushfiqur, Thisara Perera, Soumya Sarkar, and Farhad Reza are among them. This team has the potential to be a very tough side to beat if they find the right combination.
Weakness
A team must have some great spinners to win any major competition in Bangladesh. Unfortunately, Khulna’s lineup is short of top spinners. Mahedi Hasan is a capable spinner, although he is not regarded as one of the best in the country. They have Afghani Naveen ul Haq in the pace attack, who is still young, and Kamrul Islam Rabbi, who is not a good T20 bowler. As a result, Khulna’s bowling department is a major source of concern.
Opportunity
Mushfiqur Rahim has yet to win a BPL championship both as a player and as a captain. This would be an excellent opportunity for Mushfiqur to demonstrate his captaincy skills. Soumya Sarkar, Yasir Ali, and Jaker Ali will do everything they can to get the attention of the selectors.
Threat
Like Chattogram, Khulna have a small squad, which could make replacing an injured player difficult.
Squad:
M Rahim, T Perera, B Rajapaksa, Naveen-ul-Haq, M Hasan, S Sarkar, K Rabbi, Y Ali, S Prasanna, S Raza, F Reza, R Talukdar, K Ahmed, J Ali, N Samad.
Fortune Barishal
Before the players’ draft, Barishal signed ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who will lead the team this season. Barishal feature some outstanding T20 players with a large squad.
Strength
Barishal have one of the most well-balanced squads in this season, and they are one of the early favorites to win the BPL 2022 competition. Their strong point is that they have some competent backup players, notably in the batting order. Other teams will have a difficult time defeating Barishal if Universe Boss Chris Gayle gets his groove at the perfect time in the competition.
Weakness
There aren’t enough pacers on Barishal’s squad which is their major weakness. They have West Indian pacer Alzarri Joseph, but no prominent Bangladeshi pacers.
Opportunity
Shakib Al Hasan aspires to captain Bangladesh again, therefore this will be a fantastic opportunity for him to demonstrate his leadership abilities. Irfan Sukkur, Mehedi Hasan Rana, and Towhid Hridoy are among this generation’s most talented players. So, this upcoming event will provide them with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills.
Threat
With only a few medium pacers, Barishal might be in serious trouble in the middle of the competition. If the spinners fail to produce and the surfaces favor quicker bowlers, Barishal may be in jeopardy.
Squad: S Al Hasan, M Ur Rahman, D Gunathilaka, C Gayle, N Hasan, N Shanto, M Rana, F Mahmud, O McCoy, A Joseph, T Hridoy, Z Rahman, S Islam, S Ali, N Dickwella, N Hasan, T Islam, S Hossain, I Sukkur.
Sylhet Sunrisers
Taskin Ahmed was a direct signing for Sylhet. They have a huge squad with some good T20 players. Sylhet have a stronger chance of winning this year’s BPL.
Strength
Sylhet have a huge squad, which implies they have some solid backup players. As a result, squad depth is one of their strongest assets. Ravi Bopara, Taskin Ahmed, Alok Kapali, Dinesh Chandimal, and Kesrick Williams are all talented T20 players. They should be confident in their ability in order to take home the trophy for the first time.
Weakness
Sylhet don’t have any serious flaws, although they failed to include one of Bangladesh’s top five players. Another key concern for Sylhet might be finding the right combination.
Opportunity
Mosaddek Hossain, Muktar Ali, Jubair Hossain, and Anamul Haque will have a chance to demonstrate their T20 skills in this event.
Threat
Sylhet’s main challenge, and potential threat, would be to find a winnable combination.
Squad: T Ahmed, D Chandimal, K Williams, C Ingram, S Ahmed, M Hossain, M Mithun, Al Amin Hossain, N Islam, R Bopara, A Perera, A Haque, S Gazi, A Kapali, M Ali, J Hossain, M Rahman, N Chowdhury, S Hayet, S Islam.
Cumilla Victorians
Left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman was a direct signing for two-time BPL winner Cumilla. They also acquired some top-tier T20 players, including Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, and Sunil Narine. Cumilla will thus be one of the toughest teams to beat in the BPL 2022.
Strength
Cumilla have a few good all-rounders as well as some promising young players. Cumilla are one of the better teams this season, with a mix of youth and experience.
Weakness
Cumilla have no specific flaws in their squad because they have adequate backup in every department.
Opportunity
Parvez Hossain Emon, Sumon Khan, Mehedi Hasan, and Shohidul Islam will have a chance to impress the national selectors at the upcoming event.
Threat
Cumilla are banking on its young, bright players, who could be a real threat once the competition begins. Things might go wrong for the Victorians if those players don’t perform as anticipated.
Squad:
Faf du Plessis, M Ali, S Narine, M Rahman, L Das, S Islam, I Kayes, T Islam, K Mendis, O Thomas, A Haque, N Islam, M Joy, S Khan, M Haque, M Ankon, P Emon, A Hider, M Hasan.
Verdict
Following the player draft, it’s evident that no particular franchise team can be considered the favorite. Each team boasts a number of excellent cricketers. Any team in the BPL 2022 tournament has a chance to win if they perform at their best from the outset. Fans will be tempted to Dhaka because of Mashrafe Mortaza, Mahmudullah Riyad, and Tamim Iqbal. On the other hand, everyone will be paying close attention to the world’s best all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan’s Fortune Barisal. Overall, T20 cricket fans are looking forward to a competitive eighth season of the Bangladesh Premier League.
Source: United News of Bangladesh