Opener Tamim Iqbal has become the biggest dilemma for Bangladesh team management which is planning their squad for the third Twenty20 International against Zimbabwe in Khulna today.
The Tigers seek to wrap up the four-match series with the match and at the same time want to continue their experiments ahead of some bigger challenges.Coach Chandika Hathurusinghe is in favour of using all four uncapped players Mosaddek Hossain, Muktar Ali, Mohammad Shahid and Abu Hider at some stage in the series to keep his back-ups ready for Asia Cup and the ICC World Twenty20.
Apart from that Hathurusinghe also wants to pick Imrul Kayes considering the chance of Tamim’s unavailability in the Asia Cup, when his wife is expected to give birth their first child.
Imrul was expected to play the game anyway after Mushfiqur Rahim injured his hamstring but Hathurusinghe wants him to bat in the opening slot instead of middle-order.
It may lead the Tigers to rest Tamim, though a final decision will not be taken until the team meeting before the match today, said the team sources.
If Tamim is rested finally and Imrul opens the innings with Soumya Sarkar, it will also create a chance for Mosaddek Hossain to claim a place in the middle order.
With Abu Hider and Mohammad Shahid almost certain to make their debut replacing Mustafizur Rahman and Al-Amin Hossain, the only other selection dilemma is to pick Muktar Ali or Arafat Sunny.
As Mushfiq is unavailable and Tamim is set to be rested, the team management wants some depth in the batting, which gives Muktar an edge over Sunny.
It means that chances are high that all four uncapped players can make their debut today, which will give the Tigers a completely new-look in the game.
Last time four or more cricketers made a debut for Bangladesh in a Twenty20 International was way back in 2007, when Alok Kapali, Mahmudullah, Mohammad Ashraful, Nazimuddin, Syed Rasel and Tamim Iqbal achieved their caps against Kenya in Nairobi.
Bangladesh, who lead the series 2-0, however, will still start the game as firm favourites, having defeated Zimbabwe in all but one of their last 16 matches in all formats.
Zimbabwe’s only success came in a Twenty20 International in Dhaka last November.
Selector Habibul Bashar, who is currently with the team in Khulna said they are happy with the outcome of the experiments so far in the series.
‘It was always our priority to do some experiments with the team in the series,’ Bashar told New Age. ‘So far everything went according to plan and we are happy with the result.’
-With New Age input
