ZCZC
BSP-22
CRICKET-NAZMUL-HASSAN
BCB will finalized WC squad May 22
DHAKA, April 15, 2019 (BSS)- The Bangladesh’s World Cup team is set to be announced within a couple of days but the BCB kept the options open to bring up any changes to the squad until May 22, the last deadline to announce the squad set by International Cricket Council (ICC).
Given the injury problem to several key players and the poor form of some players were the reasons behind the decision, said BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon.
Moreover the team will play a tri-nation series in Ireland, involving the hosts Ireland and West Indies ahead of the World Cup-a platform for the team management to also judge the players performance.
The final of the tri-nation will be held on May 18, meaning Bangladesh will get some more times to watch the players’ performance.
“We had an idea that the World Cup team should be announced within 18th April and it can’t be changed without any injury problem to the players. But we came to know that it is wrong idea and we can bring up changes to the team until May 22, the last deadline to announce a world cup team set by ICC,” Nazmul Hassan Papon said here today.
The BCB president has held a discussion with the selectors regarding the World Cup squad today and gave them necessary suggestions.
“We have a tri-nation series coming up which will be completed by May 18, so we have enough time to watch the players’ performance. That’s why I told the selectors to announce the squad for the time being.”
“There are some problems for us at the moment. Those who we considered as our options in the World Cup squad, are going through a bad patch. There are injuries to several key players. We considered some to be in the squad and they sustained injury to make our task difficult. But since the squad can be changed until May 22, I think we should announce the squad now. We have still the options to watch the players’ performance and can bring up changes if it needs.”
The BCB president said the World Cup squad and the squad for the tri-nation series in Ireland will be announced at the same time.
“The World Cup squad will be 15-member while for the tri-nation series we will announce 17-member squad. So there will be two additional players. We also can try those two players,” he added. BCB president revealed that they would consider the performance of the players in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) also.
“The DPL will be in our consideration also. We will try a spinner in tri-nation even though we have established spinners in our team,” he remarked.
Current form and the batting position will be considered in selecting the players, said Nazmul Hassan.
“Experience matters definitely but form is a big matter. At the same time position also matters. Sometimes it can be seen that for one position there are several candidates. Again you can see in some position there is no option. So everything will be considered.”
The BCB boss however is reluctant to make comment on the issue of Taskin Ahmed who has recently started playing after recovering from his ankle injury.
“There are some pacers in our squad like Rubel, Mashrafe, Mustafizur, Saifuddin. Taskin is injured. I don’t know whether he can play. But we are waiting for the tri-nation series after which we will take the final decision,” he concluded.
BSS/SMP/AU/17:35 hrs