When Alex Hales and Shaheen Afridi left the BPL on January 9, the tournament was void of any T20 A-listers after the first ten days. Veterans like Thisara Perera, Mohammad Nabi and Dawid Malan do catch the eye and there are reports that David Warner and Sunil Narine might pop by for the playoffs, but that's about it.
The BPL did have star power but it came from the local contingent - Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim. Then, William Bosisto struck an unbeaten 75 against Chittagong Kings in the first week and sent many fans searching on Google. The Australian batter is certainly not a household name in Bangladesh.
The innings was Bosisto's maiden T20 fifty. He had played only eleven short-form matches before his BPL debut, the last of which was six years ago. After losing his first-class contract in 2021, Bosisto now plays league cricket in England and Australia, while building a career as a mortgage broker back home in Perth. He may not be the ideal drawcard for a T20 league competing for eyeballs but that's not his problem. The BPL's slide into obscurity offered Bosisto a unique opportunity. He has been a key performer for Khulna Tigers in 2024-25, hitting a couple of unbeaten fifties and playing handy knocks in winning causes.
"I had come straight from Nepal where I had a really good tournament," Bosisto told ESPNcricinfo. "I performed strongly for my premier cricket side in Western Australia. I was feeling confident with my game. It was nice to be able to put that on show in front of a great crowd against Chittagong in the first game. Being exposed to the atmosphere in the Bangladesh Premier League has been incredible. It is always nice to be there in the end in a couple of our wins. I pride myself on finishing games, being a match-winner. I think that's a really important skill. It doesn't necessarily reflect on the stats all the time.
"I have enjoyed my experience here. It is a wonderful opportunity to play in foreign conditions. I think playing in spin-friendly conditions is a strength in my game. [My batting style was developed through] a lot of hard work and practice for a number of years. I trust my hand-eye coordination. Sweeps, laps and more unconventional shots are suited to my game. I pride myself on hitting the ball where the fielders aren't placed."
Bosisto's BPL connection was established in 2024 when he batted with Imrul Kayes, the recently retired Bangladesh Test cricketer. Imrul moved to Australia with his family recently, where he heard good things about Bosisto from Mitchell Marsh. When Imrul was building the Khulna team, he recommended Bosisto to team owner Iqbal Mahmud and coach Talha Jubair.
"I played a tournament in Melbourne around this time last year with Imrul Kayes," Bosisto said. "We batted together. He was really impressed with me in that tournament. He asked about my cricket journey, and whether I'd be interested to come to Bangladesh. I jumped at the opportunity while I was progressing my game in the background, without the exposure at a higher level.
"It has been nice to get this opportunity to prove to people that there's no reason why you can't keep chipping away, coming back as a better player and learning from some mistakes as a younger player."
Bosisto was the quintessential prodigy who couldn't take off. He captained Australia in the Under-19 World Cup in 2012, hitting an unbeaten 87 in the final and being named Player of the Series. Domestic cricket however wasn't kind to him, as he struggled playing for two Sheffield Shield teams. He didn't make a mark in the BBL either, which left him looking for opportunities elsewhere. It landed him in a job as a financial adviser, which is now his second career.
"Working as a broker is something I enjoy. It is totally different from cricket. It allows me an outlet from the game. If I wasn't doing brokering, I'd be sat there analysing every little detail. Brokering gives me a break from that. I have always been interested in the property market. It allows me to help some family and friends.
"It has got its challenges, but ultimately it is about self-discipline and time management. The mark of any good person is doing what you say you are going to do. I always endeavor to have honest conversations with clients.
"If I am away at a match, they know that it will take me a few hours to come back to their email. My cricket is a real passion, and it is obviously a limited window from a professional journey. I have put a mountain of work into it, so it's nice to feel like I am a chance to get back amongst the ranks."
Bosisto, 31, holds no grudges about a Sheffield Shield career that consists of only 27 matches spread out over eight years. He admits his inconsistency as a batter and getting in his head about the pressures of being picked in the XI. "I have no regrets. I had a lot of learnings. It is difficult for a young batter to open the batting at the WACA in arguably the strongest first-class competition in the world. The wickets were pretty green. It was certainly a real challenge for an 18-19-year-old who doesn't know his game. I made a couple of hundreds, and had some really good performances, but I was inconsistent. That's why I was left out of teams.
"I was in and out, with some strong performances in premier cricket. I found selection pressures as a bit of a challenge. With experience though, I have learned to control the controllables a lot more. I got a lot better at putting my full attention to the next ball. Negative thoughts like losing my place in the team doesn't infiltrate my thinking. Preparing really well, having full confidence in my strengths and being absorbed in the contest are what I can control."
Bosisto thanked his friend Marsh for playing a part in his cricketing journey, while also taking inspiration from Travis Head, his Australia Under-19 and South Australia team-mate. "Mitchell Marsh is a Perth boy. I catch up with him quite often. He is a fantastic young man. He has had ups and downs in his journey as well. His character never changes. He always has a big smile on his face. He is a wonderful team-mate. He will be a friend for life.
"I played with Travis Head in South Australia. Another fantastic character. He is a very funny man. He doesn't take himself too seriously. It is incredible to watch his journey. A guy who has learned to have full faith in the way he does things. We are seeing his strengths come to the forefront."
Bosisto would be keen to return to the BPL and the Nepal Premier League. In fact, he was quite taken aback by the reception cricket gets in Nepal. "I had no idea about the volume of passion there. The people are super enthusiastic. I would be very surprised if Nepali cricket doesn't continue to climb up the world rankings."
The 2024-25 season will remain memorable for Bosisto. It was his first foray into the franchise T20 ecosystem and its left him with a taste for more. "I am always keen on mentoring younger players. I got to that point as an 18-year-old with my work ethic and trusting my skills. When you come into a professional environment, you get voices left, right and centre. A real key therefore is to trust your own method and strength.
"I have been through some ups and downs that have shaped me be the resilient character that I am. I think it holds me in good stead in my next decade of cricketing journey. I hope I can bear the fruits of all the hard work and some of those ups and downs."