In a surprising twist that can only be labeled as confusing for everyone involved, Fortune Barishal left newly signed all-rounder Jimmy Neesham on the bench for the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) final, despite recruiting him specifically for this high-stakes encounter.
Barishal booked its place in the final after a dominant nine-wicket victory over the Chittagong Kings in Qualifier 1 on February 3. Following the win, the franchise announced that New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham had been signed for the final. The player arrived in Dhaka just for this match.
Given his reputation as a power-hitter and useful seam option, he was expected to be an integral part of the playing XI. However, when the team sheet was revealed at the toss, Barishal retained the same XI from the qualifier, keeping its four overseas slots occupied by Dawid Malan, Kyle Mayers, Mohammad Nabi, and Mohammad Ali—leaving Neesham to watch from the sidelines.
Ahead of the game, many had expected Jimmy Neesham to replace Mohammad Nabi, whose batting form had been underwhelming despite contributing seven wickets with the ball. However, Barishal opted to stick with consistency, choosing team balance over a last-minute shuffle. The move panned out in the end, with Fortune Barishal winning the final over the Chittagong Kings by 3 wickets.
Despite having to watch from the sidelines, Jimmy Neesham has been in demand across global T20 leagues if not in international cricket. He recently played a crucial role in Janakpur Bolts’ title-winning campaign in the inaugural Nepal Premier League (NPL), finishing as the tournament’s fifth-highest run-scorer with 247 runs at a strike rate of 196, alongside seven wickets in nine matches.
Just 20 days after lifting the NPL trophy, Neesham joined Pretoria Capitals in the SA20. Once the team failed to make the playoffs, he became available for the BPL final, leading to his short-lived signing with Barishal.
Despite Jimmy Neesham’s latest BPL stint turning out as little more than a spectator cameo, he is expected to secure another opportunity in a different T20 competition soon enough.