What will be the Bangladesh team for ICC World Cup 2015? The recent comprehensive test and ODI series whitewash have seen emergence of few match winners. Though world cup will be all together a different ball game yet Bangladesh can dream about brighter performance in the challenging environment of the world cup. The final team must be selected making them the horses for the courses.

It was be a distance between heaven and hell. From low slow mostly flat surface to fast, bouncy, seaming, swinging Australia New Zealand Wickets. From almost friendly fire of miserable Zimbabwean bowling to hostile chin music of Australian, New Zealand, English, Sri Lankan and even Afghan pacers. Bangladesh will have to adjust with wickets, conditions when they appear for ICC World Cup 2014 against much stronger opposition. The recent steady performance against traditional rival Zimbabwe has boosted the otherwise sagging morale of the Bangladesh team. The players and fans alike are optimistic for a much better performance in the most challenging upcoming world Cup encounters. Tigers are grouped with hosts Australia and New Zealand. Two other top flight opponents are England and Sri Lanka. All four are among top contenders for these years’ top honors. Two remaining teams in the group are Afghanistan and Scotland. Bangladesh is expected to win these two matches at least.

The team should have six genuine batsmen including the wicket keeper, three all-rounder and six bowlers of whom will favor six pacers and two spinners. Australia New Zealand wickets and condition will require batsmen having better techniques against short lifting deliveries at pace and aiming consistently at rib cage. Players playing late and having strokes square of the wickets will have better opportunities. No bowlers will offer half bowlers. The only full length balls will be toe crashing Yorkers. Tamim and Anamul should be automatic choice for the opening slaughts.

But Tamim should realize opponents have analyzed his way of batting. Pacers will cramp him of the space outside his off stamp and aim his rib cage. He should be particularly careful in fishing in the corridor of uncertainty. Anamul should practice more on playing with soft hands, dropping the ball and rotate the strikes. He must not try to match his much more gifted partner stoke for stroke. This writer will favor Imrul Kayes for the reserve spot of opener for his solid defensive technique. Mominul should play at number three. He has excellent skills, admirable temperament and all copy book strokes. Pacers will have to adjust length a little bit for avoiding vertical wides against this pocket dynamo. Under any circumstance Mushfique must bat at number four. He is the best Bangladeshi batsman at this moment who can hold the innings together and the rest of the batting can rotate around him. Talented all rounder Shakib and consistent Mahamudullah may be slotted at five and six. Given a solid platform both can make opposition bleed and perspire with aggressive batting. Talented Youngster Shabbir may be slotted at number seven. He has strong strokes, courage to play and he is the best fielder of the side at the moment. Captain Mashrafee, Leg Spinner Juabir, Pacers Al Amin and Taskin Ahmed may complete the paying eleven at Brisbane, Adelaide and Hamilton. But at Canberra, Melbourne Bangladesh can appear with an additional spinner preferably Taijul Islam. Naeem Islam, Shafiul and Liton Das will be in my team of fifteen.

My suggested Bangladesh team

Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Huq, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahamudullah Riad, Sabbir Rahman, Mashrafee Bin Murtaza, Al Amin Hussain, Jubair Ahmed  and Taskin, Imrul Kayes, Naeem Islam, Taijul Islam and Liton Das.

We thought about Shamsur Rahman, Nasir Hossain and Arafat Sunny. But considering the state of the wicket, environment and very different playing conditions we feel they have lesser chances of success in World Cup.

Bangladesh has not played at MCG, Monica Oval, Adelaide Oval or Gabba. It will be dream come true for many. Only Shakib played at Woolon Gabba and MCG. Players have to be mentally tough and must not get overawed by the much focused occasion. No one expects Bangladesh winning the event. But if play to potential, Bangladesh has more than even chance to play in the second round. I will not give them any opportunity against Australia and New Zealand. But they must take chances against England at Adelaide and Sri Lanka at MCG. But to have any realistic chance to even create that hype they must make a strong statement in the first match against Afghanistan at Canberra.

One Senior ex-Cricketer having international exposure and strong personality may be made team manager. The role of manager is very important for managing strong discipline and protects the image of the country abroad. World Cricket requires a mart knowledgeable manager who has in-depth cricket knowledge and a pleasing personality. A good solid performance will go a long way in the over all development of cricket in Bangladesh.

BDST: 1610 HRS, DEC 18, 2014