Goal is to play final of Global T20: Ashraful

Rangpur Riders assistant coach Mohammad Ashraful believes his team is capable of playing the final of the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) T20, which will take place at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence, West Indies, reports BSS.

"Our first goal is to play the final. If we can do so, we'll give our best to become the champions. We know it will be difficult but I think if we all play as a unit, then it's possible to play the final," Ashraful, also a former Bangladesh captain said in the city on Thursday.

The inaugural edition of the tournament will run from November 27 to December 7. Rangpur will fly to the Caribbean Islands on November 22 to take part in the tournament.

Rangpur Riders started its training for the tournament on Thursday at the Academy Ground of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Guiding Rangpur to the Global T20 tournament, Ashraful also will start his professional coaching career.

The tournament will give Bangladesh a global exposure as they don't get enough opportunity to play franchise league around the world, said Ashraful.

"Of course it will not be easy. The tournament will be difficult for us, still I think this is a great opportunity for our local cricketers," he said.

"Players from our country don't get that many opportunities in global tournaments. In this sense, it's an opportunity for them to make their case stronger."

The Rangpur Riders squad will feature experienced Bangladesh internationals Nurul Hasan Sohan, Soumya Sarkar, Afif Hossain and Mahedi Hasan.

They will be joined by overseas players Matthew Forde from West Indies, Wayne Madsen and Zak Chappell from England and Harmeet Singh from the USA.

Five teams will compete for a US$1million prize fund across 11 matches. The five teams for the 2024 tournament are - Guyana Amazon Warriors, Hampshire Hawks, Lahore Qalandars, Rangpur Riders and Victoria. Ashraful said Rangpur is a well balanced team that have the capability of thriving in Caribbean pitches.

Rangpur Riders squad: Nurul Hasan Sohan, Soumya Sarkar, Mahedi Hasan, Afif Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Saif Hassan, Rishad Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Kamrul Islam, Mathew Forde (West Indies), Harmeet Singh (USA), Wayne Madsen (England), Zak Chappell (England).