Shanto urges clarity for Bangladesh cricket

Najmul Hossain Shanto lifted the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) trophy on Friday night as the captain of Rajshahi Warriors, but even in the middle of celebration, his thoughts were not limited to silverware and confetti. The 27-year-old found himself leading not only a champion franchise but also speaking for a generation of Bangladeshi cricketers facing unprecedented uncertainty about their immediate future.

Fresh from guiding Rajshahi to their first title, Shanto admitted that the lack of clarity over Bangladesh’s international calendar — especially the cloud over the upcoming T20 World Cup — was already weighing on players’ minds.

“Of course there is some concern,” Shanto said after the final. “None of us know what the future holds. As a player, I am thinking about it. There is no denying that.”

When asked directly if he knew when or where his next match would be, Shanto’s answer was blunt.

“No,” he said. And when a reporter followed up by asking if this had ever happened before in his career, he replied, “No.”

Pressed on what exactly he was worrying about, Shanto tried to deflect with humour. “Then it will be a long night,” he joked — but the underlying message was unmistakable. Bangladesh’s players are operating in an environment of uncertainty that few modern international cricketers are used to.

Shanto, who is also one of the leaders of the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), said the instability of the past year and a half has already affected the game.

“Over the last one to two years, the way cricket has been managed, especially abroad, has really hampered our development,” he said. “I request that those in charge, whether in the board or outside, work together to make cricket run smoothly. By ‘run smoothly,’ I mean not just games being played, but conducting the sport in an organised, regular, and competitive manner.”

He stressed that domestic cricket will become even more important if Bangladesh are forced to miss major international tournaments.

“If we don’t participate in the World Cup, Dhaka League becomes even more important,” Shanto said. “Players have already been sitting out for a long time, so it’s crucial that the league is conducted more attractively and professionally this time. I hope the board ensures a better tournament for players so they have opportunities to play and maintain their skills.”

Shanto recently attended a meeting with Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul to discuss the World Cup issue. While he avoided specifics, he said the engagement itself mattered.

“It was good that we were invited,” he said. “There was a healthy conversation, and as players, we are at least happy that our voices were heard. Beyond that, I cannot go into details.”

Those concerns, however, stood in sharp contrast to the calm, clarity and control Shanto helped create inside the Rajshahi Warriors camp — a key reason why the franchise ended the season as champions.

Winning his first BPL title as captain made the moment particularly special.

“Winning a championship always feels good,” Shanto said. “It felt good last year too, but this year it feels even better because I was able to contribute — both as a player and as a captain. This was my first BPL as captain, so the victory is extra special.”

The emotional connection ran even deeper because the title came with his home division.

“Winning the title for Rajshahi means a lot to me emotionally,” he said. “I had never played for Rajshahi before, so captaining this team and winning the title makes it even more special. I tried to give the people of Rajshahi something to be happy about, and I’m glad we were able to give them the trophy.”

Unlike the uncertainty surrounding the national setup, Rajshahi’s campaign was built on clarity and structure from the very beginning.

“When I was first contacted about this team, the responsibility was made clear from day one,” Shanto said. “I knew Hannan (Sarkar) bhai was going to be the head coach, and we planned everything together. We went into the draft with a clear plan and it went well.”

That planning created a balanced squad and, more importantly, a healthy dressing-room culture.

“One big reason for our success was how organised and clear we were as a team,” Shanto said. “Our owners deserve a lot of credit. When they took over the team and spoke to me at the beginning, they told me, ‘This is your team. Run it the way you want.’ There was no interference and no pressure to win.”

He also praised head coach Hannan for his behind-the-scenes work.

“Hannan bhai was outstanding, not just in the BPL but also in the Dhaka Premier League,” Shanto said. “He worked very hard behind the scenes, and his planning played a big part in this success.”

Perhaps the strongest reflection of Rajshahi’s culture was how players reacted when they were left out of the playing XI.

“It was very difficult as a captain to manage such a strong squad where many talented players could not get into the playing XI,” Shanto said. “Players like Jishan (Alam), Rabiul (Haque), Wasi Siddique, Sakir Hossain Shuvo and others didn’t get a single match, but you would never feel from their attitude that they were unhappy.”

“That attitude played a big role in us winning the title,” he added. “This kind of character will help them become big players in the future.”