5 Bangladesh cricketers IPL teams should look at

The next edition of the Indian Premier League begins earlier than usual due to the World Cup next year. The scheduled opening of the competition is in March and teams are already making the changes to prepare for the 2019 edition.

The IPL is the biggest franchise tournament in cricket and it is of little wonder as to why many players want to earn a contract in the prestigious competition. Not only is it financially sound but it is also a means to showcase one’s talent in the grand scheme of things.

While players from almost every cricket-playing nation have played in the IPL, the one country that haven’t had many players in the tournament’s history is Bangladesh.

Only five Bangladeshi players got the chance to showcase their talent in the IPL. With the rise of the Tigers in the sport over the last few years, they certainly have the players with the capability to play in the IPL.

And here are five Tigers the IPL teams should look at…

#5 Tamim Iqbal

How this man hasn’t made an appearance in the IPL is baffling, to put it simply. Tamim Iqbal is one of the best opening batsmen in the world but is yet to play in the IPL.

He was picked up by the now-defunct franchise Pune Warriors but never got a shot at the playing XI for the team. At the time, Tamim Iqbal was a talented-but-inconsistent figure in the world of cricket.

However, right now, he has proven himself to be not only Bangladesh’s best batsman but also one of the most consistent run-getters in the game. At an average of 29.93, he has scored 4730 runs in 173 T20 innings and has a strike-rate close to 120.

There are several teams who could benefit from his services, which include the likes of Kings XI Punjab, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals.

#4 Soumya Sarkar

Talented stroke-player

This is a rather controversial name to add as Soumya Sarkar, currently, is not even a permanent fixture for his national team. So it might sound like a bit of a far cry to expect IPL teams to look at him.

Sarkar blasted into the scene in 2015 as he displayed glimpses of his brilliance against India, Pakistan and South Africa. At that time, he gave the impression that if he continues his good form for the next year or so, he would almost certainly get called up in the IPL.

However, the naturally gifted left-hander’s performances started to become erratic from 2016 and it has been the same ever since. But there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel as he scored a beautiful century in his latest ODI match against Zimbabwe, which took place just a few weeks ago.

On his day, Sarkar has the ability to not only rip apart and desecrate bowling attacks but also win games on his own for his team.

#3 Liton Das

Getting in groove

As showcased by Soumya Sarkar, one of the main problems of the youngsters of Bangladesh cricket is that they don’t seem to have the ability to consistently perform at their best.

Like Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das also possesses an abundance of talent but hasn’t been able to stamp himself as one of the best batters in the game. He certainly has the gift to be on that pedestal but his last six ODI scores just display the sad side of the story.

From the most recent to the oldest: 41, 6, 121, 4, 83 and 0 – this is how he fared up in the last six ODI matches for his country. It shows that he is somewhat of an enigma; a personality that is either all in or nothing.

Even then, however, the natural class that he has makes him an interesting prospect for IPL franchises to look at. Also, he is a great wicket-keeper, which just adds another dimension to his game.

#2 Mahmudullah

Mahmudullah in CPL

It feels as though IPL teams have missed a trick for years by not picking up Mahmudullah Riyad. The vice-captain of Bangladesh’s Test and T20I teams is not only a good middle-order finisher but has tons of experience behind him.

He has played in franchise cricket for Pakistan and Caribbean leagues respectively, alongside, obviously, the Bangladesh Premier League. His numbers in T20s are decent as well. In 162 innings, he has 3163 runs at an average 24.51 and a strike-rate of 117.89, which actually doesn’t truly represent the attacking ferocity that he has.

He is also more than handy with the ball in the format. Mahmudullah has picked up 85 wickets from 130 innings in T20 cricket and at an average of 27.42. His economy rate of 7.13 is also very good in a format like this.

He is also a very wise interpreter of the game, which means that his services would be valuable for just about any team in the IPL.

#1 Mushfiqur Rahim

The pint-sized dynamite

There might have been instances of friction between him and India but it can’t be denied that if there is one Bangladeshi player that deserves an IPL contract more than anyone else, it is Mushfiqur Rahim.

How a short, pint-sized boy with nothing intimidating about his approach became one of the best players Bangladesh have ever produced is an inspiring story in itself.

Rahim’s physicality might not have anything intimidating about it but when his bat starts doing the talking, everything about him exudes a rage like none other. At his finest, he is a walking tempest that consumes everything around him with utmost grace and, at the same time, brutality.

His numbers in the format show how good a batsman he is in T20 as he has scored 2933 runs from 139 innings and he hits them at a strike-rate of 125.82.

Rahim has done enough over the past year – most notably his match-winning innings against Sri Lanka in the Nidahas trophy – to justify being selected in the IPL. Being able to ‘keep is also an added bonus for this pint-sized dynamite.