DHAKA, April 21, 2019 (BSS) – Amid the concern over his prolonged bad patch with willow, hard-hitter batsman Soumya Sarkar smashed a 79 ball-106 in a Dhaka Premier League (DPL) game to squash any lingering doubt over his form as the ICC Cricket World Cup is approaching fast.
Soumya, considered a vital cog in Bangladesh’s World Cup, gave the team management a massive headache by going through a poor form in the DPL, in which he is playing for defending champions Abahani Limited.
The team management kept faith on his immense potentials to include him in the World Cup squad despite criticism over his form in International cricket and DPL.
In the last three ODIs in New Zealand tour he managed 30, 22 and 0 before hitting his maiden century in the Test format. But in DPL, he again suffered a poor form and scored just 197 runs in 11 matches at a meager average of 17.90 before hitting this whirlwind century against Legends of Rupganj.
The century however came in a crucial moment as Abahani was fighting to keep their DPL title hopes alive. Abahani’s defeat in the match would hand Rupganj the trophy with a match at hands.
But Soumya’s century paved the way for a 102-run win over Rupganj and thereby kept Abahani alive for retaining the coveted trophy.
Both Abahani and Rupganj have now 24 points at hands but the former has the net-run-rate in favour. A win the last match against Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club on Tuesday will be enough for Abahani to clinch the trophy unless Rupganj produce a miracle to win their match against Prime Bank Cricket Club by massive margin.
However the team management heaved a huge sigh of relief at Soumya’s return to form, breaking the trend of his series of low scores.
“It’s pleasing to see Soumya to return to the form. It’s really good knock. The century will give him the confidence ahead of the World Cup,” chief selector Minhajul Abedin Nannu said.
“There was no doubt over his talent and therefore we included him in the World Cup. But whatever it is, you need to score to be mentally upbeat. In this sense his return to form is good news for him and us.”