No one enjoys being tagged with the label “unlucky”! Though Tawhid Hridoy’s career is still young, that label had been unfairly attached to his name. Finally, he has freed himself from that association, and the young batsman is understandably thrilled.
Hridoy’s source of joy comes from Fortune Barishal’s BPL victory. In the previous three seasons, he had tasted the bitterness of losing in the final, with his first final loss coming while playing for Fortune Barishal. In the following two seasons, he performed brilliantly for Sylhet Strikers and Comilla Victorians, but failed with the bat in the final, leaving his team disappointed just shy of the trophy.
This has left a scar on Hridoy’s heart regarding the BPL, but finally, he has found relief. His joy was evident as he posted a picture on social media holding the trophy, saying:
“After playing 3 consecutive finals, this golden prize was elusive, but I finally grabbed it on the fourth try…!”
“Congratulations to the champion fans on behalf of the whole team. The cup is ours!”
Nazmul Hossain Shanto played only five matches throughout the tournament but was a topic of discussion throughout. Initially, there was talk about his performance, as he scored only 56 runs in 5 innings, including a 41-run knock. Due to his failure, he was criticized.
Later, when he lost his place in the team, the discussions shifted. Questions arose about whether the national team captain, before the Champions Trophy, should be struggling to make the starting XI for a franchise team. Tamim Iqbal, Barishal’s captain, explained in multiple press conferences that Shanto’s exclusion was due to team coordination, a reasonable decision based on the team’s requirements. He praised Shanto’s mindset and dedication to the team, even from the sidelines.
After the final win, Tamim invited Hridoy, Shanto, and Rishad Hossain onto the stage to receive the trophy. Shanto, in his social media post, expressed his gratitude, saying: “It was satisfying to be part of this wonderful unit. Congratulations, Fortune Barishal.”
Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh’s most successful batsman internationally, had a long-standing regret of never winning the BPL. After years of trying, he finally achieved that goal last season with Fortune Barishal. This season, he tasted the joy of his second trophy, sharing his happiness on social media.
Rishad Hossain had his first real opportunity to play in the BPL, and he became fortunate enough to touch the trophy for the first time. Tamim, the captain, called his two sixes in the final “the turning point” of the match, and Rishad expressed his joy on social media.
Tajul Islam, who had played eight matches for Barishal last season, only got the chance in two matches this year but is also part of the team’s back-to-back title win. The experienced spinner expressed his gratitude to the Creator on social media.
Ibadat Hossain, who missed the previous BPL due to injury, returned to win the title this year. Tanvir Islam, who won the title with Comilla Victorians, experienced the same joy with a different team this year.
Young pacer Ripon Mondal played five matches and took five wickets. This was his first title after three seasons in the BPL. Though he didn’t get a chance to play in the final, promising young batsman Ariful Islam got his first taste of the trophy, celebrating in his own way.
Foreign players also joined in the celebrations. Afghan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi posted a picture with the trophy alongside captain Tamim. James Fuller, the English cricketer, posted several pictures on Instagram, showing his appreciation for Barishal’s massive fan support.
James Neesham, known for his humor on social media, was brought in by Barishal just before the final. Though he didn’t play, he shared a picture in the dressing room with James Fuller holding the trophy, captioning it humorously: “One day’s work doesn’t hurt!”
