Former Under-19 World Cup-winning captain Akbar Ali has recently led Rangpur to their second successive NCL T20 title. He has been adjudged the player of the tournament, too. In an exclusive interview with 抖阴精品鈥檚 Saifullah Bin Anowar, Akbar talked about his captaincy philosophy, the atmosphere of the Rangpur team and his wait for the national team call-up. Here are the excerpts:
抖阴精品: As a captain, how different is this title from the previous one?
Akbar Ali: Last year, the feeling was great, as it was the first edition of the tournament. But this time, our challenge was a bit different, as we lost quite a few players due to injury. Ariful [Haque] bhai and [Chowdhury] Rezwan were ruled out before the tournament. [Mukidul Islam] Mugdho got injured in the first match; Mushfik was injured two matches later. Tanbir [Hayder] Bhai also got injured. Then in the qualifier, [Abdul Gaffar] Saqlain was injured. But even after so many injuries, the new players stood up. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 a bit different.
NA: How did you manage to overcome those challenges?
Akbar: If you need immediate replacements, then there is no scope for planning big. You have got to make decisions instinctively. However, it鈥檚 important to create an atmosphere in which the new players feel that they belong to the Rangpur team and are considered important members. We were able to do that.
NA: There were no standalone performers, which showed you鈥檙e able to play as a team. How did you manage that?
Akbar: There was no superstar in our team. Whoever plays for the first time is not a minor part at all. The 15 players鈥攚e were all equals. Especially the likes of Naeem bhai made it clear perfectly, which was a nice gesture from him.
And I don鈥檛 have to talk much to deliver a message to the senior players, as they understand cricket so well. And whenever I needed any suggestion on or off the field, whenever I felt a little bit confused, they spontaneously gave me feedback. This is about mutual respect.
And performance-wise, everyone was able to show their individuality at the critical moments. So it was a big gain. Maybe these things aren鈥檛 reflected in the stats, but those made a huge impact.
NA: Tell us a bit about Abu Hashim. The left-arm spinner who made a breakthrough鈥�
Akbar: He has been with us for three years now but couldn鈥檛 play many matches. He has become a much-improved bowler in terms of consistency. He bowled very well in the Premier League this year. And when we played a practice match, we knew then that Hashim bhai would get enough opportunities this season. He was told that he was our main bowler. He executed well and remained consistent while bowling vital overs.
NA: You have now led Rangpur to three titles in the last three seasons鈥攁 four-day and two T20s. What is working well for you?
Akbar: I think the biggest trait of Rangpur Division is that no one plays selfish cricket here. Selfish means no one plays for his own good. If someone is asked to hit a six in the first ball for the team, he tries to do that without thinking that it might hamper his personal stats if he fails.
All players are willing to sacrifice; they鈥檝e got that mentality. If you see, at the beginning, Nasir bhai batted lower to give other opportunities. Naeem bhai did that too for most of the matches. There was this flexibility, and that worked out as our bonding gel. And it works every time.
We also spend a lot of time on planning things.聽
NA: You spoke about the importance of NCL T20 before. How would you rate this season as a captain and as a player?
Akbar: The wickets were different than last year, as this was a different time of the year. This time the weather was hot, and the wickets were slow and turning, as they couldn鈥檛 keep much grass. Spinners got more help this year.
The competition was fantastic. Because even on the last day of the group stage, no one was sure what the positions of the teams would be.
If you tell me about a regret, then I will say about not being able to play in Bogura and Rajshahi. The wickets were fantastic in Bogura; I heard in Rajshahi too. There could have been a large crowd too.
However, we should appreciate that the BCB considered those two venues, and I hope that they will do the same next season.
NA: How was your personal preparation, and how satisfied are you?
Akbar: I worked on something while I was in the UK for some days. Coming back, I worked with Sohel [Islam] Sir, based basically on my bat speed. I am still working on that.
It was satisfying how I played in the final part of the tournament. But I could have finished a couple of games. I was getting out after making 20 to 30 runs at the beginning. Had I scored big, our team might not be in the tough place it was at one point. Overall, though it鈥檚 still in the working phase, the practice started to pay off.
NA: How would you describe your captaincy philosophy?
Akbar: Everyone thinks differently. Some might think for a long time; some might take quick decisions. I try to balance between those two. I try to plan in length before the match, but every match will pose different situations. You cannot work on something like that by putting it in your notebook. You have to make decisions instinctively, which I like.
NA: There鈥檚 talk about you not getting the call from the national team鈥�
Akbar: Everyone plays so that they can represent at the top level, right? There鈥檚 no limit to playing well. The national team is the ultimate goal of each player. Of course I dream about that. And I work hard in practice because I have got that dream. Otherwise, I would come from somewhere, play, and then go away. But at the same time, I can only try. The rest is not in my hands.