PitchVision Academy’s Fast Bowling Coach Ian Pont knows a thing or two about coaching sides to Twenty20 success.

His team - the Dhaka Gladiators - romped to an 8 wicket win over the Barisal Burners to secure the BPLT20 title for 2012 at the National Stadium in Dhaka.

Pont, Head Coach of the leading franchise, said he was thrilled with the team spirit and effort of his squad that brought the victory.

So what’s the secret of throwing together a side to win Twenty20 against high quality opposition?

Don’t lean on superstars

For Dhaka, it was the use of a blend of local and overseas talent that ensured success.

“Having players like Kieron Pollard, Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Rana Naved, Azhar Mahmood and Imran Nazir available was a wonderful thing," said Pont. "But we used the local talent as well and were not reliant on any one particular player."

This is equally true for club and school sides. Many teams rely on the talents of a couple of ‘big fish’ players who find the game too easy.

But the real difference in good team is the ability to eke out every ounce of performance from the normal guys. Every player has a role to fill even if it is not the headline grabbing job.

Balance your team

Another key factor was the balance of the Dhaka Gladiators squad.

Pont said, “We sat down and worked out the combination of players we wanted to work with. This type of detail is important for bringing a successful squad together."

Squad selection is a complex task because you need to match both playing styles and personalities. You won’t always get it right because it’s more of an art than a science, but it’s certainly worth keeping in mind how the team overall gels together as well as the bowlers and batsmen as ‘teams within the team’.

A side which is supportive under pressure is far more likely to succeed, and a good coach or captain has the skills to develop that team spirit.

Keep looking up

The winners of the BPL are now seeking entry into the lucrative Champions League T20 that takes place in India after the T20 World Cup. “To take the side to the CLT20 would be extremely exciting. I am awaiting confirmation of whether we will get an invite.”

Success doesn’t end when you win. It gets even harder to win after winning. The teams that leave a legacy are the ones that keep looking up and don’t lose the passion to stay at the top once they have made it.

Ian Pont’s work in the BPL may be over for now but if you want some of his coaching magic to rub off on you then enrol on his online coaching course Beating the Odds: How to Succeed As a Twenty20 Fast Bowler. The streaming videos reveal the exact methods Pont used to bring success to the professionals in the BPL.