There was little surprise in Bangladesh’s squad for the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup, which was announced on Thursday.
The team management kept all of the players, who played the home series against Australia and New Zealand, in their 15-member squad.
They had also kept fast bowler Rubel Hossain and leg-spinner Aminul Islam Biplob as the stand-by.
Rubel’s omission was expected as Bangladesh focused on to form a spin-heavy side, considering the condition of Oman and Dubai, who would host the World Cup, to be held from October 17 to November 14.
Bangladesh who were drawn in Group B along with co-hosts Oman, Scotland and Papua New Guinea, would have to play first round to make them available for the Super-12.
As many as six players-Mahmudullah Riyad, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Mustafizur Rahman and Nurul Hasan Sohan who were the squad in the 2016 T20 World Cup in India, made their way in this World Cup squad too.
The Tigers have been in superb form following their maiden series victory over Australia and New Zealand in T20 format. Chief selector Minhajul Abedin Nannu said the winning spree would give them a boost in the World Cup even though there was criticism whether Bangladesh had got a best preparation, playing an extremely slow pitch at home condition.
“We have full confidence on this team because we won the last three series against Zimbabwe, Australia and New Zealand with this team. I hope we’ll continue this winning spree and do well in the T20 World Cup,” Abedin said after announcing the team at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
“Winning spree is very important whatever the format is. Winning habit always boosts your confidence but when you will continue to loss, it will wreck you. In that sense, whatever the wicket is, a winning-habit is grown and I think it will help us in the World Cup.”
He also said that he has the confidence on this team that they could cope with the condition of Oman and Dubai.
“We will go to Oman a week before the tournament. We are yet to play in Oman and so don’t have the idea about the wicket. But we have the confidence on this team that they could take the condition out of the equation,” Abedin said, adding that their primary target is to overcome the hurdle of the first round and then concentrate on the Super-12.
Senior opener Tamim Iqbal had already ruled himself out of the tournament. He last played a T20I against Zimbabwe in March 2020 in Dhaka. Abedin said they would miss the service of Tamim in the big tournament.
“Tamim is one of the best players for us in all three formats. He opted out the tournament by himself. We were confident that he would play but it is unfortunate. We’ll miss him but we are confident that he would make a strong comeback,” Abedin said.
But the chief selector is upbeat about the likes of Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar and Naim Sheikh who would play as the openers. “They have got a nice platform and they have the ability to play well in the World Cup. We have kept faith on them,” he added.
When a leg-spinner is believed to succeed in the condition of Dubai and Oman, Bangladesh chose to keep Aminul Islam Biplob as stand by. Minhajul Abedin Nannu, also the former Bangladesh skipper said Biplob wasn’t fit in their original plan.
“He was sick for a long time and he recovered but unfortunately he couldn’t fit in our original plan. That’s why we kept him as stand by.”
Bangladesh squad:
Mahmudullah Riyad (capt), Mohammad Naim, Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shamim Hossain.
Travelling Reserves:
Aminul Islam, Rubel Hossain.