RANGPUR: The Rangpur Riders, buoyed by their recent victory in the Global Super League, are determined to surmount the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) qualifier stage this season and capture the coveted title. Despite entering the past two seasons as favorites, Rangpur fell short in the qualifiers, losing to Sylhet Strikers and Fortune Barishal.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Rangpur Riders clinched the Global Super League title in the West Indies, boosting their morale as they enter the BPL. Captain Nurul Hasan Sohan expressed the team's high aspirations, noting that Rangpur consistently aims to build a championship-caliber team. Sohan emphasized the importance of teamwork, stating, "The goal is to play as a unit. As a captain, I will try to help the team gel together as early as possible."
While the team lacks a star player like Shakib Al Hasan, who was with the franchise last year, Sohan remains optimistic about the team's composition. He highlighted the squad's depth in all-rounders and underscored the significance of collective performance.
A notable absence for Rangpur is Soumya Sarkar, the hard-hitting batter who was in excellent form during the Global Super League, leading with 188 runs in five matches. Sarkar's injury prompted the inclusion of Under-19 team captain Azizul Hakim Tamim as his replacement. Sohan expressed confidence in Tamim's abilities, remarking on his impressive performance in the National Cricket League (NCL).
The team management will finalize the playing combination after assessing the pitch conditions, as they aim to advance beyond the qualifiers and vie for the BPL title.