Our aim should be to get two or three players from APL to play in the IPL: Abu Nechim

Guwahati, Aug 18 (IANS) Guwahati Royals coach Abu Nechim praised his team’s fearless approach after they secured their place in the semifinals of the Assam Premier League (APL), while also highlighting the tournament’s role in creating a pathway for young cricketers from Assam.

Reflecting on the Royals’ performance, Nechim said the team’s intensity and attacking approach had been key to their success.

“It was a very good match. Our intensity throughout the 40 overs was very good. Our cricket, which I have been saying since the first day, is fearless, attacking cricket. We did that today, and we got the result,” said Nechim.

Nechim was also pleased with the return of Muktar Hussain, who had missed games due to injury and made an immediate impact on his comeback. “Muktar came back to the team and bowled very well. That is a very good thing for us,” he said.

With the Royals now through to the semi-finals, Nechim said the team would be looking to maintain its momentum and push for a strong finish to the league stage. “It is very important to continue winning matches. There is a match tomorrow as well, and we will definitely win. After that, we will see what happens. But I would like to continue this momentum,” Nechim said.

The Royals coach also reflected on the challenges faced during their preparation for the tournament. With only five to six days available for preparation and persistent rain limiting outdoor practice, the team had to make the most of its limited training time. “We did not get much time. We got only 5-6 days of preparation time. It was raining continuously. We were practising indoors. We were not able to use the field,” he said.

Despite those challenges, Nechim believes the tournament has already showcased several promising young players. He named Bastab Roy, Dibrugarh’s fast bowler Vikas Ranjan, Vishal Chahar, Rishabh Deepak, as well as Guwahati Royals’ Gunjan Jyoti Deka and Nipan Deka among those who have impressed him. He also highlighted Ayushman Malakar’s recent performance.

For Nechim, the ultimate measure of the inaugural APL’s success will be the number of players who are able to use the platform to progress to the IPL. “Our goal in APL was that if we get 2-3 players from APL to play in the IPL, then we will consider APL a success. Our aim should be to get 2-3 players to play in the IPL, so that we can make a good player,” he said.

Looking ahead to the semi-finals, Nechim identified the middle overs and spin bowling as areas where the Royals can still improve. “Right now we are doing well in all three departments. But if we can improve in the middle overs, it will be good. And we should work on the spin department,” he said.

Speaking about the wider significance of the Assam Premier League, Nechim described it as a major platform for the state’s young cricketers. He compared the current opportunity with the pathway that existed during his playing days, when players progressed through district, state, zone and NCA cricket before reaching bigger stages.

“It is a very big platform. When we used to play, we would play in the district and state zones. Then we used to get the chance to play at bigger platforms such as this. But now, if you play in these franchise leagues, there is a chance to play in the IPL. So, what can be better than this? It is a very good platform for the youngsters,” Nechim said.

–IANS

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