New Zealand's James Neesham made an immediate impact for the Rangpur Riders, blasting a whirlwind 51 off 26 balls and claiming two wickets to propel his team to a dominating win. Despite arriving in Dhaka just the day before, Neesham displayed his typical cool confidence.
Riding on his and Reeza Hendricks' fifties, the table-topping Rangpur Riders cruised past the Chattogram Challengers by 53 runs. The victory further solidifies their position in the BPL standings.
“It's been a bit of a whirlwind, getting in yesterday morning, meeting the guys at training,” Neesham told the media after the match. “It looks like we have a very good team, top of the table before my arrival, so there was pressure to keep that momentum going. But yeah, delighted with how the game went today.”
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In the modern T20 world, players often travel rapidly between venues with little adjustment time. This can pose mental challenges in adapting to a new team and environment.
Neesham, however, takes it in stride.
“That's the reality of playing around the world,” he said. “Coaches or captains shouldn't have to tell me how to prepare. It's about understanding your own game.”
He emphasizes that a player can now easily familiarize themselves with opposition via technology: “Some players you know, some you don't, but it's about trusting your own game. Today, that approach worked out.”
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Neesham credits his extensive experience in diverse conditions for his success. He indicated that playing leagues like the IPL and tournaments in the UAE and Sri Lanka can help to perform well in the different parts of the world.