The eighth season of the eagerly anticipated Bangladesh Premier League 2022 will kick off on Friday (January 21), with six teams competing. All of the franchise teams are underway putting together their best game plans for the upcoming season. The most difficult task for the team management is picking an ideal playing XI. The BCB has made some adjustments to the rules for the BPL 2022, one of which is that only three players are permitted to compete in a match. Therefore, only the top overseas players will be featured regularly on the lineups. Let’s take a look at each team’s most crucial foreign player.
2022 Bangladesh Premier League: Most Important Overseas Players of Each Team
Picking the top players from a pool of talented and experienced overseas cricketers is a difficult task. Here are the six cricketers who could be the most important for their respective BPL 2022 teams.
Andre Russell (Minister Dhaka)
T20 M: 392 | Runs: 6513 | HS: 121* | SR: 169.38 | Wkts: 346 | BBI: 5/15 | Econ: 8.45
The Minister Dhaka squad features some good international players, but none of them have the same level of experience and success as West Indian Andre Russell. The dynamic Caribbean all-rounder is nicknamed as Dre-Russ for his fighting spirit. Russell is the only foreign captain to win a BPL trophy. Rajshahi Royals won the BPL 7 title under his leadership. Andre Russell will most likely be Minister Dhaka’s most important player in the BPL 8.
Will Jacks (Chattogram Challengers)
T20 M: 64 | Runs: 1299 | HS: 87 | SR: 154.82 | Wkts: 18 | BBI: 4/15 | Econ: 7.17
English batting all-rounder Will Jacks has a promising career ahead of him, particularly in the Twenty20 format. He scored 309 runs in 12 innings with a strike rate of over 150 in the 2020 Vitality Blast. Jacks was voted the Vitality Blast best player of the year in 2020 after his mesmerizing performance in the season. This young talented all-rounder will undoubtedly be one of the overseas players to watch in the BPL season 8.
Sikandar Raza (Khulna Tigers)
T20 M: 117 | Runs: 2075 | HS: 95 | SR: 123.88 | Wkts: 44 | BBI: 4/16 | Econ: 7.61
Khulna Tigers do not have enough quality international players for the BPL 2022. Zimbabwean Sikandar Raza has the best record among foreign players in the Twenty20 format. Raza is a solid all-rounder who is equally adept with the bat and the bowling. Sikandar Raza has the potential to be a key player for Khulna in the death overs when the team requires quick runs. He also has the capacity to make crucial breakthroughs when they are needed.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Fortune Barishal)
T20 M: 164 | Runs: 178 | HS: 27 | SR: 96.73 | Wkts: 180 | BBI: 5/15 | Econ: 6.68
Afghan off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman is a household name in T20 franchise leagues around the world. He is a true wicket-taker who is capable of changing the flow of a game on his own. Mujeeb’s addition to the squad will undoubtedly benefit Fortune Barishal. He will be one of Barishal’s most important bowling weapons. Mujeeb is also the early favorite to take the most wickets in the competition.
Ravi Bopara (Sylhet Sunrisers)
T20 M: 403 | Runs: 7886 | HS: 105* | SR: 120.65 | Wkts: 243 | BBI: 6/16 | Econ: 7.50
The Sylhet team boasts a number of good international players, but Ravi Bopara is the most experienced of them all. Furthermore, Bopara formerly played for the Sylhet franchise and is well-versed in the BPL. He also has a solid record in the BPL, which will benefit Sylhet in the competition. Ravi is a capable all-rounder who can make a significant contribution to his side. Therefore, Ravi Bopara is Sylhet’s main international recruit.
Moeen Ali (Comilla Victorians)
T20 M: 203 | Runs: 4338 | HS: 121* | SR: 140.34 | Wkts: 135 | BBI: 5/34 | Econ: 7.53
The most challenging task was picking the main overseas player for the Comilla Victorians team. Faf du Plessis, Sunil Narine, and Moeen Ali are among the six overseas players. All three have a lot of experience and have had a lot of success in T20 cricket. However, Moeen Ali is in excellent form and has made big contributions to England’s national T20 team in recent years. All-rounder Moeen has the potential to be a game-changer for Comilla in the main event.
Aftermath
The international players mentioned above are extremely talented and have vast experience playing Twenty20 cricket across the world. They have the potential to be important players for their respective BPL 2022 teams. Besides, one of the primary objectives of the T20 format Bangladesh Premier League is to provide local players the chance to play with international stars. Playing with foreign players assists native cricketers in their development as players. They can share their knowledge and ideas with local players, which would enhance Bangladesh cricket as a whole.
Source: United News of Bangladesh