In Newfoundland and Labrador’s rapidly evolving cricketing landscape, every now and then a player emerges and Abu Bakar Nabeel is one such force.
A bodybuilder by physique, a blaster by instinct, and a cricketer by passion, Abu Bakar wasn’t trained by the coaches. His journey started later than most. No classic defense. No textbook cover drives. Just strength. But make no mistake, this man can change a match in a few overs.
His numbers in the T10 format speak for themselves. Four innings. Scores of *19 (12), 48 (25), 27 (14), and a thunderous 38 (26)**. That’s 132 runs off 77 balls at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 177.40. And these aren’t just stats padded, they include a final-winning 48, and a recent 58 off 26.
Last season, he turned out for NL Lions, lighting up the inaugural T10 final. This year, he’s back with his original club, the NL Eagles, and has picked up right where he left off.
What’s good about him is that Abu Bakar recognizes the gaps in his game. “I’ve worked hard on my stance and my trigger movement,” he shares. “I want to get into the line quicker, not just swing.” That shows awareness, something many power hitters lack.
The T10 format is chaotic, explosive, and built for batters like Abu Bakar. He doesn’t need 10 balls to settle in. If it’s in his zone, it’s going out. Here’s why he thrives:
- Short Bursts Suit His Muscle Memory: He doesn’t play long innings—but he doesn’t have to. In T10, 20s and 30s at 200+ strike rate are match-defining.
- Field Restrictions Help: His ability to hit cleanly over mid-off, long-on, and square leg puts bowlers under pressure from ball one.
- No Time for Bowlers to Set Him Up: You can’t “work out” a batter in T10. You miss, he hits.
- Minimal Rotational Play Needed: He doesn’t rely on singles or doubles—his role is to hit boundaries. And that, he does exceptionally.
In the longer formats, Abu Bakar’s power game gets exposed to the demands of rhythm, rotation, and restraint. Here’s the likely breakdown:
- No Time to Breathe in T10, But You Must in F40: He hasn’t yet found a sustainable way to rotate strike and build an innings.
- Limited Backfoot and Off-Stump Game: Bowlers in F40 and T20s have more overs to exploit his weak zones—especially short-of-length deliveries outside off.
- Too One-Dimensional: In longer formats, the lack of sweeps, dabs, or soft hands hurts his versatility.
- Fitness vs. Endurance: Strength and stamina aren’t the same. He’s fit—but staying mentally and physically sharp for 10+ overs is a skill of its own.
He has all the ingredients to become one of Cricket NL’s best power hitters. But if he truly wants to leave his mark across formats, the next stage is evolution. Small improvements like a nudge to third man, a flick to rotate strike, an occasional check shot and better fielding can go a long way.
But even if that doesn’t come, Abu Bakar Nabeel is already a T10 asset. He plays his cricket loud, with muscle and intent, and that’s a rare trait in this part of the world. He’s proof that you don’t always need to be technically sound—you just need to know your role and play it well.
And when the ball disappears into the Newfoundland sky, there’s no stat that can measure the joy it brings.