Nat’l squad for Windies tour named

In order to bring back the Bangladesh cricket on the right way, which currently has been in a tumultuous position aftermath  of the just concluded ICC Twenty20 Cricket World, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a new-look  team with naming pace spearhead Mashrafe Bin Mortoza as captain replacing Mohammad Ashraful. All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been named as his deputy.
For the upcoming West Indies tour, which will be an acid test for the Bangladesh team, Rafiqul Alam led selection panel did not walk for any experiment when they announced the 15-member squad in the full-house media conference at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Tuesday.
The only new face in the side is wicket-keeper batsman Sahagir Hossain Pavel, who awarded for his excellent job with Under-19 and Bangladesh A side in the recent time. Pavel, has 50 first-class matches to his credit. Apart from the rookie Pavel, the selectors included batsman Mahmudullah Ryad and fast bowler Rubel Hossain in their 15-member squad for the two-Test series in the West Indies beginning next month.
Ryad, earlier considered a limited-overs specialist, is yet to play a Test. He was included on the basis of a strong domestic season, during which he finished the second-highest run-getter with 710 runs with four centuries at a stretch.
Rubel made his first appearance for Bangladesh during the ODI series against the Sri Lankans at home in January and his raw pace and ability to bowl bouncers caught the attention. He has since played five ODIs and a Twenty20. His first-class experience is only limited to nine matches, and he has taken 20 wickets with one five-wicket haul.
Sahagir, 22, has played for Bangladesh A and the Under-19 team. Since his first-class debut for Khulna Division in 2004-05, he has scored 2184 runs with 11 half-centuries and a century and has hauled 160 dismissals behind the wicket. He will be the back-up wicketkeeper for Mushfiqur Rahim.
The players dropped from the Test squad, which faced Sri Lanka recently, include Rajin Saleh and left-arm medium pacer Sajidul Islam. The left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak and seamer Syed Rasel are the other notable names missing in the list but both have been named as standbys. Chief selector Rafiqul Alam loudly uttered the calibre of Sahagir Hossain Pavel … “He had a nice century against Maharashtra Cricket Association recently. Besides he had a brilliant 97 runs in England for Bangladesh A team which is good enough to support his calibre. We’ve been watching him for the last two years and at last he ensured us he is the right man to handle the national team’s pressure.”
“Mahmudullah’s (Ryad) selection is not a surprise at all. He had been excellent in National League. He was rewarded for his performance while Rubel can generate an extreme pace. In West Indies condition his pace would be an asset,” he added.
For omitting the other notable players he replied they could not meet up the expectation.
“Mithun Ali had been picked up for the Twenty20 Cricket only. So he was not available in selection. Razzak, Rasel has not been in their pick and I hope they will come back in the side as soon as possible,” he remarked.
The tour will begin on July 3 with a three-day match against West Indies A in Bridgetown. The first Test will get underway on July 9 at St Vincent while the second and final game is at Grenada, starting July 17.
The ODI squad will be announced in the half way mark of the Test series. Squad: Mashrafe Bin Mortoza (capt), Shakib Al Hasan (vice-captain), Mohammad Ashraful, Tamim Iqbal, Junaid Siddique, Imrul Kayes, Roqibul Hasan, Mehrab Hossain jnr, Mahmudullah Ryad, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Shahadat Hossain Rajib, Enamul Haque jnr, Mahbubul Alam, Rubel Hossain, Sahagir Hossain Pavel (wk).
Stand-bys: Abdur Razzak, Syed Rasel, Naeem Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Shamsur Rahman Shuvo.

Courtesy of The Independent