Alok Kapali

Born on 1st January, 1984, Alok Kapali is one of the many Bangladeshi players who have not maximized their potential and talent. An all-rounder who bats right handed and bowls an assortment of leg-spin. As has been the bane with Bangladesh's selectorial policy, Kapali was thrust into the national squad at the tender age of 18 against Sri Lanka in 2002 despite a modest average at FC level.

Kapali did show the required technique and temperament making starts in both the innings in what was a disappointing batting effort by the team. Kapali scored his first fifty against West Indies at Dhaka in the same year and made his career best knock of 85 in the same series. He has been plagued by the same inconsistency that has followed all the batsmen in Bangladesh and has failed to pass 50 in a test since then.

The spark that showed in his bowling was evident very early on when Kapali became the 1st Bangladeshi bowler and the youngest bowler at 19y 240d to take a hat-trick. He achieved it against Pakistan with Shabbir Ahmed, Danish Kaneria and Umar Gul being the victims. Like his batting, his bowling too has been a let-down and he has managed just 1 more wicket since then.

Kapali has been in and out of the ODI squad and has held the record of making the fastest hundred by a Bangladeshi batsman when he reached his ton of 86 balls against India in the Asia Cup, 2008. It was later bettered by Shakib Al Hasan who scored a hundred off just 63 balls against Zimbabwe.

Alok Kapali joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL) in 2008 and was consequently banned for a period of 10 years. He announced that he has quit the ICL in June 2009 and made himself available for selection again.

He has been out of the national squad for quite sometime now. After coming back from ICL, he played some ODI cricket before being left out. His last ODI was against Pakistan in December 2011. He did not impress in the Bangladesh Premier League as well. Sylhet Royals named him as their icon player and he has disappointed them by scoring only 124 runs in 9 matches. Subsequently going out of reckoning from the National team.

By Pradeep Krishnamurthy