BCB has just announced a fourteen-member tiger squad for the first two of the four matches T20 series against Zimbabwe starting on 14 January in Khulna. For preparing the other venues for Asia Cup and Under-19 World cup matches other venues will not witness any T20 match of the series.

The Squad:
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (Captain), Shakib Al Hasan (Vice Captain), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah Riad, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shabbir Rahman, Arafat Sunny, Subhagato Hom Chowdhury, Kazi Nurul Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Al Amin Hossain and Abu Haider Rony

Nasir Hossain, Anamul Haque, Liton K Das, Taskin are not in the squad. Subhagato Hom, Nurul Hasan Sohan and Abu Haider Rony have been given opportunity to test their mettle. The selection is already being hotly debated in the media.

We think with two major tournaments Asia Cup and T20 World cup round the corner the ensuing series against a relatively lesser team like Zimbabwe is an ideal opportunity to try out few emerging talents.

Tear away speedster Taskin Ahmed has not fully recovered his rhyme after returning from injury. There is enough justification in giving him more time for getting back to tune.

Liton and Anamul were not in prime form in the just concluded BPL. There are enough justifications in not considering them for the first two ODIs. But omitting Nasir Hossain from the squad is a huge surprise. He is a brilliant late middle order batsman and ideal finisher, a brilliant fielder and more than useful off spinner.

Perhaps selectors and BCB want to rest him, as he has nothing more to prove. He and Taskin are features of the national team and definitely appear in the series at a later stage.

Among the new entrants, Abu Haider Rony has forced his way to the team for his very impressive BPL performance. This left hand seamer alongside mystery boy Mustafiz, talented Al Amin and Taskin will form formidable fast bowling attack for Bangladesh in not too distant future.

Moreover, with Rubel still nursing his injury and Taskin not yet at his brilliant best we consider Mustafiz, Al Amin and Abu Haidar at the disposal of maestro Mashrafe is an ideal combination.

Shubhagato Hom has been preferred over Nasir for the all-rounder spot. We are not sure if it was against any team other than Zimbabwe selectors and BCB would have done this experiment. Nasir is a proven material. His aggressive batting is well proven in the late middle order.

 Mashrafe was developing him as a go to off spinner. His fielding is world class. Nasir must be in the planning of the selectors at some stage of the series. Subhagato Hom is around for a while. He is a useful contributor as an all-rounder.

Nurul Hasan has been given opportunity for his strong batting down the order, ability for rotating the strikes and excellent wicket keeping skills .For a while Liton K Das was being tested in that role. But he has somehow failed to do justice especially in the shorter version of the game.

In the event Mushfiqur Rahim does not keep wicket Nurul Hasan can be tested. It is a surprise selection. But I find enough justification in trying him early against Zimbabwe.

Tiger squad appears balanced and we find no reason why it should not white wash Zimbabwe once again if the team perform to potential.

Bangladesh top and middle order now is as good as any team of the world. Tamim and Imrul were in prolific aggressive forms in BPL. They also ideal complement each other.

Soumya was a little bit off color. But he is too good a talent to be overlooked. He tried too many strokes too early. But that is his way of taking his game above others. Hope he matures. Hope he will forget BPL nightmare and redeem in the series.

The other batting spots from Mahmudullah down to Shabbir are automatic choice. The strong middle order combination of Mahmudullah, Shakib, Mushfique and Sabbir provided the selectors required confidence in trying out some options with Nurul Hasan and Subhagato. We hope Nasir will not be hurt and will understand. It will be great if BCB adopts a rotation process.

Nasir and Taskin must play at a in the final two matches irrespective of the status of the series. Both will need match practice before the all-important Asia cup.

At this stage, no one can even dream of a Bangladesh team in the shorter version without the sun like presence of Mashrafe. Even in his few steps, he retains his magical control in bowling. His leading the team from the front, encouraging his charge is exemplary.

Nothing much can be talked about boy wonder Mustafizur Rahman. But he must be carefully used also. We should rather rest him after the first two ODIs. Talented Al Amin fought his way back with wonderful bowling in BPL. It was great watching him bowl again at incisive pace and deadly swing.

Abu Haider was a revelation in BPL. He deservedly earned his place. Arafat Sunny is automatic choice on slow low spinning wicket as ideal partner of Shakib in spin bowling.

With Nasir not in the squad, Mahmudullah and if in the team, Shubhagato will be called upon to bowl more often. We are not sure whether Mashrafe will like to appear with four pacers. But Zimbabweans do not play spin well hence Arafat Sunny may play resting Al Amin.

Yes there are some surprises in the squad but there are logical explanations. All four players Anamul, Liton, Taskin and Nasir are very much under the radar and in the planning. It is great watching that Bangladesh is in a position for rotating its players like Australia always do. It is a blessing of plenty.

My team for the first ODI would be

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (Captain), Shakib Al Hasan (Vice Captain), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah Riad, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shabbir Rahman, Arafat Sunny, Mustafizur Rahman and Abu Haider Rony

BDST: 0838 HRS, JAN 6, 2016
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