Chances for a select few
The ongoing sixth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is a crucial one for a few cricketers currently out of favour with the national team selectors, who are set to announce Bangladesh's ODI squad today for the three-match series in New Zealand in February.
The likes of pacers Taskin Ahmed, Shafiul Islam and batsman Sabbir Rahman would be hoping for a comeback to the national team through their performances in the BPL.
Taskin played his last ODI back in 2017, after which he lost his place due to poor performances as well injury issues. The tall pacer has however been in good shape for Sylhet Sixers as the right-arm seamer bagged 14 wickets in seven games.
Shafiul, who last played an ODI for Bangladesh in October 2016 against England, has been performing consistently for Rangpur Riders with 13 wickets from eight games. Sabbir is the odd one out as he did not lose his place in the national side because of poor performances, but due to a six-month ban from international cricket for threatening a fan on social media. His ban will end at the beginning of March, after which he will be eligible for selection.
“I think Taskin is doing well along with Shafiul. But if you look overall, there are unlikely to be huge changes in the side. If they can continue performing, there are some spots, so if they do well there is a chance. But there is still a long way to go in the tournament,” Bangladesh ODI skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza told reporters in Mirpur yesterday.
In a more or less settled side, the number seven spot is still uncertain and the team management are supposedly eager to have the hard-hitting Sabbir back in the squad in order to prepare him for the World Cup in England in the summer. His ban had started on September 1, which means he will be unavailable for national selection until March 1. Since the three ODIs against New Zealand will take place on February 13, 16 and 20, that would mean that if the terms of his ban are intact, he would not make the squad. However, there are rumours that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is mulling reducing Sabbir's ban so that he could play the New Zealand ODIs.
After missing out with the bat for Sylhet Sixers in the first five games, Sabbir finally managed to score 85 against Rangpur in the previous game. Mashrafe informed that it will be important for the hard-hitting batsman to continue his performance in the coming days.
“I won't say that he [Sabbir] has done exceptionally but he did play well against us in the last game. When he was included in the national team it was because of the ability he showed in the previous game. There are high hopes from him and I hope he will be able to continue that.”
