No surprise in Bangladesh squad for T20 World Cup

DHAKA - There was little surprise in Bangladesh's squad
for the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup, which was announced today.

  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 12s.

   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
today.

   "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 12s.

   Senior opener Tamim Iqbal had already ruled himself out of the tournament,
stating that the players who are playing more regularly than him in this
format in the recent time deserve to keep their spot. Tamim has played 74
T20Is for Bangladesh, scoring 1758 runs with one century and seven half-
centuries. 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."

Squad: Mahmudullah Riyad (Captain), Naim Sheikh, Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed,
Mohammad Saifuddin, Shamim Patwari. Stand by: Rubel Hossain, Aminul Islam Biplob.BSS