Mohammad Nawaz Speaks Out On Why He Prefers to Play in Bangladesh Premier League

Mohammad Nawaz has been featuring in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) consistently over the years. This is his sixth consecutive season in the BPL, where he is currently representing the Rajshahi Warriors. Apart from a few seasons, he has generally held a very positive view of the league due to its competitive nature.

Talking about the international performance, Mohammad Nawaz enjoyed a stellar 2025, in which he took 36 wickets for Pakistan at an average of 13.61 and an economy rate of 6.56. These superb stats helped him to earn another BPL contract, as Rajshahi Warriors showcased keen interest in signing him as their star overseas player.

From the perspective of Mohammad Nawaz, he took the offer of Rajshahi Warriors after hearing the name of Hannan Sarkar, a highly reputed Bangladeshi coach with whom he has worked previously in other BPL franchises.

Mohammad Nawaz said that he had a positive experience while playing under Hannan Sarkar in previous BPL editions. He is one of those coaches who fosters a relaxed environment within the team, helping every player to think positively and perform better in matches.

"The first time I played in the BPL, I got positive vibes in the Rajshahi side, where Hannan bhai created a relaxed and positive environment. He is a former Test cricketer who has a lot of knowledge.” said Mohammad Nawaz.

“When my manager told me that an offer is coming from Rajshahi and Hannan bhai is the coach, I felt very good, because some things have happened in the past, which you don't want when coming to BPL. But when I came to know that Hannan bhai is in management, I was very happy." added Mohammad Nawaz.

He then spoke about some previous incidents that had made his BPL experience slightly negative. However, those instances didn’t distract him from joining the Rajshahi Warriors, as he knew the franchise would function well under Hannan Sarkar.

"Many things happened in the BPL which should not have happened. BPL is a big brand for cricket and all the international players come here and play." said Mohammad Nawaz.

Applauding the Batting Prowess of Najmul Hossain Shanto

Mohammad Nawaz is currently playing under Najmul Hossain Shanto's captaincy in Rajshahi Warriors. During the last few months, many fans have criticized the performance of Shanto in T20 cricket. Interestingly, his strong outing in the BPL 2026 so far has silenced all those critics. Mohammad Nawaz also highlighted this point, saying that Shanto’s performances on the field underline his strong credentials as a T20 batter.

"You saw [Shanto] scored 100 in the first match… Performance speaks on the ground. He scored a century in the first match - now whether he is a T20 batter or not is a different debate - but his performance says that he is a T20 batter.” said Mohammad Nawaz.

The Pakistani allrounder also said that Shanto is a very good captain who helps youngsters in different aspects of the game. He provides youngsters a relaxed environment, advising them to play their nature game without thinking too much about the results.

"He is very positive as a captain. He backs the youngsters, keeps them relaxed. He tells them to just relax and play your cricket, give your 100 per cent, the result does not matter." said Mohammad Nawaz.

Nawaz then praised Mushfiqur Rahim, saying that he is an exceptional cricketer with vast international experience.

"[Mushfiqur] bhai has vast experience. He made his debut in 2005. Someone cannot play twenty years of international cricket just like that; there is something special [about him].” said Mohammad Nawaz.

"I talk to [Mushfiqur] especially when he is keeping. If the pitch is behaving in a certain way… I ask him, 'Mushfiq bhai, which length will be good here, and what pace will be good?' Whatever experience he has, when he tells me, I keep it in my mind. And then… I plan my game." concluded Mohammad Nawaz.