Nobody wants to bet on Biman. Or, putting it differently, Biman always makes a good team, expending a lot of money, but they last won the league, and that jointly, in the 1993-94 season. The reason perhaps is that they don't have a large band of supporters or because the team management never applies pressure on the cricketers. Reportedly, there is a saying among the national players, ``If you want to play without any pressure or commitment, join Biman''.
The situation is, however, different this time for the national airlines. Bangladesh captain, Aminul Islam, considered the most established batsman of the present time, joined Biman on the last day of the three-day long inter-club transfer last month. Now the national flag carrier looks pretty confident of winning their sixth league title.
``We never thought of Aminul. We organised our team without counting on him. So he is a bonus for us and that definitely has boosted the team morale. I think we have a good chance to win the league this season,'' said former Biman player and present coach Sadrul Anam Khan while talking to The Daily Star at the nets on Wednesday.
``You see, he (Aminul) is an asset for any side and Biman is proud of having a cricketer like him in the squad. This will also have a repercussion on our opponents and that is the plus-point for us this season,'' said Sadrul.
``We are very much ready to play 80-overs-a-side matches. We have a good batting depth.
Javed Omar is a good opener for the long duration game. He will be a good replacement for Athar Ali. Javed and Ziaur Rashid will open the innings followed by Faruque and Aminul. Then we have Habibul Bashar and Hasanuzzaman.
``Atiar will come next at number seven and then we have two Pakistanis, Shahid Iqbal and Nasir Shawkat. Jahangir Talukder can be very effective at number ten. So there are plenty of batting for the 80 overs if they play sensibly,'' said the Biman coach.
``Our main weakness was our bowling in the last couple of seasons. Mizanur Rahman and Mofizur Rahman did not click and the others also lacked the killer instinct. And that is the area where we eyed this season. We have two Pakistani seamers -- Shahid Iqbal and Nasir Shawkat. They will open the attack. Jahangir Talukder will come as the third seamer and then we have two new-comers, Tanvir Ahmed and Talha, who are good pacers.''
`` Left-arm spinner Saifullah Khan Gem will lead the spin attack along with Shariful Huq and Ziaur Rashid. Then there is Aminul again. Even if that is not enough, we may bring leg- spinner Manzoor Akhter from Pakistan. So, I think we are quite balanced in bowling and batting, and if everything goes well, Biman have no reason not to win the league,'' Sadrul said.
When asked why Biman was not a successful team in the recent past even with the most balanced squad, Sadrul, who played long for the national airliners, said that lack of motivation was the reason behind their poor performance.
``We are looking into the matter very carefully. We have already started motivating the boys. They have to play collectively and support each other. I believe this problem will not be there any more,'' said a confident Sadrul.
Replying to which team he considers most powerful other than Biman, Sadrul tipped Brothers Union as the most organised team. He also said that reigning champions Abahani and Surjo Tarun also have good chances to win the league.
``But then they have to beat us and that would not be easy for them this year,'' added Sadrul.
He also revealed that former national skipper, Faruque Ahmed, will put on the captain's arm band for this season.
``We are aware that Aminul is the current national skipper but it will be too much if we put the same pressure on him in the league. We want him to concentrate only on batting and that's about all that Biman needs from him,'' said the soft-spoken Biman coach.
Aminul, the most talked-about cricketer this season, was prompt to reciprocate the views of his coach.
``Faruque Bhai is a good captain. I played under him in the 1994 ICC trophy in Kenya. He is a good thinker and I would love to play under him again,'' said Aminul.
On paper, Biman is the most powerful team this season. Although all-rounder Mofizur Rahman, pacers Sajal Chowdhury and Mizanur Rahman, opener Athar Ali and offee Saidul Islam Effee have left the side this year, Biman have recovered well by roping in Aminul Islam, left-arm spinner Saifullah Khan Gem, two young pacers--Tanvir Ahmed and Talha, opener Javed Omar and left-arm seamer Jahangir Talukder.
As if that were not enough, Faruque Ahmed, last year's skipper Ziaur Rashid, Habibul Bashar, Atiar, Hasanuzzaman, Shahnewaz Shahid Shanu, Ahmed Faiyaz Shaheen and leg-spinner Sohel have stayed put with the national airlines.
Biman will meet Wari Club in their league opener on December 9 at the BKSP ground.