“Soumya is a utility player who can bat at the top order and his medium-pace bowling also can be handy in Australia-New Zealand”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Bangladesh all-rounder Soumya Sarkar has been included in the country’s 15-man World Cup squad.
The national selectors are convinced that Sarkar will be a major asset to the national team, even though he has only represented Bangladesh in one ODI thus far.
“Every selector wants to build a team that will win the World Cup. We also want to do that but our style is to set a realistic target,” Bangladesh chief selector Faruque Ahmed said. “We have to win at least two of those matches to have any practical chance of making it to the next round. We have considered form and who can sustain in those conditions. We wanted seasoned campaigners although we haven’t picked [Abdur] Razzak. Those who have replaced him have played domestic cricket for a long time and are with the team for the last 12 months.
“Soumya is a utility player who can bat at the top order and his medium-pace bowling also can be handy in Australia-New Zealand. We thought that it would be a risk to include Likhon [Jubair Hossain] in the squad and we have picked three left-arm spinners in the past, and we have been successful against middle and lower-ranking teams.”
Despite being dropped for the recent home series against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh have decided to include all-rounder Nasir Hossain in the squad.
In addition to Hossain, the national selectors have also drafted spinner Taijul Islam into the side after he took a hat-trick on ODI debut.
It has also been announced that Shafiul Islam and one other player will accompany the team to Brisbane for their two-week training camp as standbys.
Bangladesh World Cup squad: Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Taskin Ahmed, Al-Amin Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Taijul Islam