Jisan Alam, who took the NCL T20 tournament by storm, is now determined to make his mark in the BPL.
With 281 runs in 7 innings, including a century, two fifties, a strike rate of 158.76, and 22 sixes, Jisan’s performance for Sylhet in the last NCL T20 was remarkable. The young opener wants to carry that form into the upcoming BPL and leave a lasting impression.
Last season, Jisan was picked by Chattogram Challengers despite having no prior experience in professional T20s but didn’t get the chance to play. This year, things are different. In the players’ draft, he was picked in the second round by Durbar Rajshahi after initially being signed directly by the franchise.
Jisan’s aggressive batting style has been evident across formats. In List A cricket, he has scored 575 runs in 23 innings with a strike rate of 128.34, while his T20 strike rate is an impressive 151.79 across 9 matches. His explosive form in the NCL included a century with 10 sixes in the opening match, making him the top six-hitter of the tournament.
On Saturday, ahead of Rajshahi’s practice session at the BCB Academy in Mirpur, Jisan shared with the media that he idolizes Liton Das and Rohit Sharma as batters. The 20-year-old is focused on replicating his NCL success in the BPL.
“I’ll try to do something remarkable. The NCL went really well, so I hope to have a similar impact in the BPL. It’s a big franchise tournament, and I’ll focus on playing good cricket without putting pressure on myself. I’ll take it match by match and give my best,” Jisan said.
Cricket runs in Jisan’s blood. His father, Jahangir Alam, a former national cricketer for Bangladesh, introduced him to the game. Jisan often practiced hitting sixes with his father at the Narayanganj Cricket Academy’s center wicket, which he credits for his ability to hit big shots naturally.
“It’s nothing special, just natural. My father used to coach me on the center wicket when I was young. That’s how I developed my ability to hit sixes, which people now call big sixes,” Jisan explained.
Jisan’s father played three ODIs for Bangladesh, and his uncle, Sohel Hossain, played two domestic seasons. Inspired by their legacy, Jisan dreams of playing on the international stage.
“It’s definitely motivating for me that my father and uncle played at the national level. I’ll try my best to follow in their footsteps. If it’s meant to be, I’ll play for the national team,” he said.
However, Jisan is careful not to burden himself with extra expectations. His focus is on staying true to his natural game and making a statement in the BPL.
“I don’t want to take unnecessary pressure because it’s my game, and I need to play it. The goal is to perform, and I’ll try my best. NCL went well, and I’ll aim to give my best in the BPL too. It’s a great stage to prove myself, and if I can do that, it’ll feel great,” he added.
When asked about his target for the BPL, Jisan confidently stated, “Everyone has a goal. My goal is to finish among the top five run-scorers.”
Rajshahi will kick off their BPL campaign against Fortune Barishal in the opening match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.
