‘I knew Russell wouldn’t be able to hit any boundaries against me’

Fortune Barishal captain Tamim Iqbal named Mohammad Saifuddin a 'game changer' mid-season inclusion to their side in the press conference yesterday after his team beat Comilla Victorians to lift their maiden Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) title.

Saifuddin, who took 15 wickets in nine games after joining the team in the middle of the league phase, was crucial in the Powerplay overs and the death overs for Barishal with his economy rate of just 6.81.

By that comparison, he was a bit expensive in the final, going for 37 runs in his four overs for one wicket.

But that stat doesn't paint the full picture as Saifuddin bowled a vital last over for Barishal which kept the target well within the reach of Barishal.

Saifuddin was up against Andre Russell, who had hit four sixes off the eight balls he had faced before the final over and was batting on 24 off eight balls.

The pacer started the over with a wide and a no-ball and bowled another wide after the first legal delivery but still conceded just seven runs, restricting Comilla to 154-6. Barishal later chased down the target with six wickets and six balls to spare to lift their maiden title.

Saifuddin said that his skipper Tamim trusted him to deliver against Russell, which gave him the confidence to restrict the destructive Caribbean batter.

"Rusell had hit three sixes the previous over, then [Tamim] encouraged me by saying, 'You can do it'… That's why I was confident that Russell wouldn't be able to hit a single boundary off of me," Siafuddin told the reporters today.

Despite his good showing in the BPL, Saifuddin wasn't picked for Bangladesh's upcoming Sri Lanka series home. But the all-rounder claimed he wasn't miffed by the snub.

"No, I have no regrets. Whatever Allah does, it is for the best. BCB did what they thought was best for me. I have been consecutively playing high-intensity matches. I definitely need rest.

"As I played high-intensity matches after a long gap, there is soreness in my body. It would be better for me to be completely fit and prepared for the bowling workload before returning to the national team."