- Shamser Khalid
Negative Post 'Mistakenly' Shared on Barishal Facebook Page
There were many reactions to the Fortune Barishal’s loss against the Rangpur Riders in the play-off rounds of the 2023 BPL (Bangladesh Premier League). At one point, there was a "negative post" on Fortune Barishal's official Facebook page targeting Shakib Al Hasan, but it was announced as an "inadvertently" made publication.
According to Barishal media manager, Sekandar Ali, the post was shared by one of their page admins. The admin had intended to publish from his account, the content of which was entirely based on Shakib's decision as the captain in the BPL Eliminator against Rangpur Riders.
When asked about the post, the media manager told reporters that the post was shared by mistake. "The post has been deleted and the boy has been removed from admin and given a show-cause notice," Sekandar added.
What was the Negative Post?
The “negative post” was a result of the decision for Shakib Al Hasan to not bat in the match against the Rangpur Riders. According to Fortune Barishal coach Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, the decision not to play in the game was made by Shakib himself.
While the post has been deleted, some managed to share photos of the post, and it, reportedly read:
"A question to Shakib Al Hasan. It's 15.1 and Barishal scored 126/3. As Nazmul Abedeen said it was the captain's call. You in form Shakib who is in serious song in BPL, decide not to get into the pitch where you pushed newcomer Rajapaksa who had never experienced BPL. Even you don't push Dwaine Pretorius to come to bat who was the one-man batting saviour in the previous match. Your bowlers tried their level best to stop the opponent. But the main issue of this defeat goes to your unworkable batting rotation system. A question to Shakib - Can you avoid the responsibility of this loss?"
What Happened in the Game?
During the game at Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, many saw the Fortune Barishal team as the stronger opponent of the match. While the Barishal team had ended with 170 runs, they were 15-20 runs short of the execution from the number four and five batters.
The match concluded with the Rangpur Riders overcoming the Barishal team with a four-wicket victory, and they pulled off the chase with only three deliveries to spare.
For most of the tournament, the Fortune Barishal team was one of the most formidable teams next to the Sylhet Strikers and consistently remained in the top three in the tournament standings. Following this loss against the Riders, the Fortune Barishal ends their tournament journey 4th in the standings with seven wins out of twelve matches.
What’s Next for the 2023 BPL?
The next match will be the final play-off round in the 2023 BPL, and it will be between the Rangpur Riders and Sylhet Strikers. Whoever wins the match will face the Comilla Victorians in the finals.
Sylhet Strikers have been the most formidable team throughout the tournament, with three losses out of twelve matches. However, the Rangpur Riders are one of the rare teams that managed to defeat the Strikers. With this in mind, there’s no telling how the final play-off match will turn out.
