South Africa left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj will be plying his trade in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2024. The 34-year-old will be playing for Fortune Barishal, in what will be his first stint in the Bangladesh-based franchise tournament.
Keshav Maharaj is now slated to arrive in Chattogram on February 13 and is all set to be available for the next game of Fortune Barishal, as per ESPNCricinfo. He will be entering the League on the back of a decent campaign in the SA202024, playing for Durban Super Giants.
Keshav Maharaj captained Durban Super Giants in the SA20 2024 and guided them to the final of the tournament. He, however, didn’t have a fairytale ending as his team suffered a disappointing loss against Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the summit clash.
Keshav Maharaj didn’t play for South Africa in the Test series against New Zealand. The proteas have named an inexperienced squad for the series. The left-arm spinner will be arriving in Bangladesh a day his national team will play the second Test against New Zealand in Hamilton.
Keshav Maharaj will be missing the domestic four-day competition in South Africa. His presence will boost the strength of the Fortune Barishal in the Bangladesh Premier League 2024. The franchise is having a great time in the league and is in the top four of the points table.
Fortune Barishal have four games remaining in the BPL. It is expected that Keshav Maharaj will be playing all of those. On spin-favoring tracks in Bangladesh, the left-arm spinner will be crucial for the team in the tournament. If he clicks, the franchise no doubt can acquire the top spot in the table.
The reports in ESPNCricinfo suggested that apart from Keshav Maharaj, few South African players who were involved in the SA20 looked in for opportunities to play in the final week of the ILT20. However, CSA wasn’t keen on the idea.
Journey as captain has been amazing – Keshav Maharaj after losing SA20 2024 final
Keshav Maharaj impressed many with his leadership skills in the SA20 2024. Apart from his captaincy, the left-arm spinner led from the front and picked up 15 wickets in the league.
He spoke about his stint in the SA20 2024, saying that his journey as a leader has been amazing. Keshav Maharaj added that his team should be proud of what they’ve achieved. Speaking at the post-match presentation, he explained:
“At the start, if you gave us the final, we would’ve taken it. Big turnaround from last year. Lot of positives to build on for next season. Probably 20-30 runs too many. We were quite sloppy on the field as well. We felt it was a good wicket, but losing wickets doesn’t help. Our coaching staff have put in a hard effort, the owners as well. Boys can be proud of what they’ve achieved. Journey (as captain) has been amazing. Faith and trust that’s been put in me, I’m grateful for it. Thank you to the fans who’ve come out and supported us in numbers.”
Keshav Maharaj now would be hoping to replicate the same performance in the Bangladesh Premier League as well.
