Only two changes were made from the Bangladesh squad of series winner against Pakistan when the chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu announced the team for upcoming Netherlands series and Asian Cup on Friday.
Gazi Ashraf Lipu, about the Tigers' chances of winning the upcoming Asia Cup gave a realistic answer - “Emotionally, I'm also hopeful that the team will go there with the target of becoming champions. But when you think analytically and logically, you have to consider where you actually stand and what kind of challenges lie ahead.”
“But I think there is always a chance to qualify for the final as we have played in the Asia Cup final for three times,” Lipu optimistic.
Might be it’s the first time the national squad announce for a tournament without controversies, or without any surprise and much talkings.
The BCB selection committee named a 16-member squad for the Asia Cup, scheduled to be staged at the UAE from September 9 and also to compete in the three-match T20I series against Netherlands at home, starting on August 30.
A key reason behind this mellow response was perhaps that the Might be selectors could have avoided any much uproar for the squads due to the bilateral T20 series over Sri Lanka and Pakistan of the team.
The two changes are wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan Sohan and batter Saif Hassan replaced the rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz and opener Mohammad Naim.
The taking out of Miraz and Naim from the squad were not any surprise as both of them could not prove their mettle to be considered despite have enough times in recent months to claim their room in the squad.
Miraz,who wanted to out of the Netherlands series due to family reasons, did not considered for the Asia Cup when in fiveT20I innings scored 64 runs and took only four wickets.
Meanwhile, Naim, who was included in the Sri Lanka series after a long three years, considering his domestic performance, could not repeat it, as he could made only 45 runs in three matches.
Lipu explained about the inclusion of Nurul Hasan Sohan and Saif Hassan, despite have not been consistent in this format in recent times, “We had a lot of discussions about Sohan during the Sri Lanka tour. At that time, we thought and realised that given our team's formation, his chances of making the playing XI were very slim.
"What we felt then was that if he played in the Global Super League as preparation, since we knew he would also be playing for the 'A' team in Darwin and it would serve as additional preparation. Facing such big challenges before joining the Asia Cup squad was important.”
"In Saif's case, if there's a gap in the top or middle-order. Let's say if Tawhid Hridoy gets injured, we believe he can cover both positions," Lipu revealed.
