Dhaka: National cricketer Sabbir Rahman, serving a six-month international ban, says he is taking the next edition of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) very seriously.

‘This year’s BPL is important for me,’ the right-handed top-order batsman said on Tuesday. ‘I will try to play my natural game and hope that it will help me get back to the national side.’

BPL will start from January 5 at Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, reports the UNB.

Sabbir will play for Sylhet Sixers, which finished at the bottom in the last edition of the tournament. He said he hoped they would overcome the odds this time.

‘We made a good start in the last BPL but failed to maintain the momentum. We hope to do something better this time,’ he told reporters during the team’s practice at National Cricket Academy. 

He said the team’s top and middle-order batsmen were capable of delivering good results. ‘It (the results) depends on how we execute our plan in the field,’ Sabbir added. 

‘Unlucky year’

His six-month ban started from last September for breaching players’ code of conduct. Sabbir will be available for the national side from February. 

‘The national team’s door is open for all,’ he said.  

Sabbir drew criticism for humiliating two fans on social media and had breached the players’ code on several occasions last year. He promised not to repeat his mistakes.

‘Last year was unlucky for me. I have promised to make the new year a memorable one. I am looking forward to playing good cricket,’ the 27-year-old said. 

Sabbir failed to impress in the three BCL matches he played in 2018. Before that, he scored only 188 runs in six National Cricket League matches.