The BCB Monday announced a 16-member Bangladesh A team squad for the tour of Ireland later this month. The Bangladesh A side, having just completed a home series against Sri Lanka A team, are scheduled to reach Dublin Saturday.
Top-order batsman Soumya Sarkar has been named captain for the T20 series while left-handed batter Mominul Haque will lead the side in the one-dayers. In their 22-day long tour of Ireland, the visiting side will play five one-dayers and three T20s against the home side.
Mominul missing out on a place in the Bangladesh ODI team has been a subject of discussion for the past three years. Leading the Bangladesh A side in the one-day series in Ireland is thus a big opportunity for the diminutive batsman to stake a spot for himself in the Tigers’ ODI side.
The Cox’s Bazar lad last played an ODI for Bangladesh in 2015. And despite consistent performances in the domestic 50-over tournaments, the batsman was kept out of consideration for the national team.
The third and series deciding one-day between host @BCBtigers A and @OfficialSLC A at Sylhet International Stadium on Sunday ended without result due to rain.https://t.co/RAqHnjMYaL#BCB #TIGERS #BCBTIGERS #CRICKET #BANGLADESH #BANGLADESHCRICKET #SLC #SRILANKA #SRILANKACRICKET
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) July 22, 2018
On the other hand, the Ireland series also presents a golden chance for Soumya to recover from the lean patch. The Satkhira lad has been missing from the Bangladesh Test and ODI team due to below-par performances with the bat.
Since Soumya will be playing for Bangladesh A side in Ireland, he will miss the three-match T20I series against the West Indies. The left-handed batsman will be looking to get back among the runs following some poor displays with the willow against the Lankans earlier this month.
Meanwhile, paceman Taskin Ahmed is also looking to get back to national reckoning through the Ireland tour. The right-arm pacer recently recovered from a back injury.
Bangladesh A team will begin their tour with the one-day series. The first three one-dayers will be played in Wicklow on August 1, 3 and 5 accordingly. The fourth and fifth one-dayers will be held on August 8 and 10 respectively in Dublin.
Bangladesh A vs Sri Lanka A
— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) July 19, 2018
2nd Unofficial ODI, SICS, Sylhet.
Sri Lanka A : 275/10 in 49.4 overs (Thisara 111; Naeem 3/42)
Bangladesh A : 132/4 in 25 overs (Zakir 32, Saif 28, Al Amin 26*)
Bangladesh A need 144 runs to win.
All the three T20s will be played in Dublin, on August 13, 15 and 17 accordingly.
Squad
Soumya Sarkar, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Fazle Rabbi, Mominul Haque, Afif Hossain, Khaled Ahmed, Shariful Islam, Al Amin Jr, Zakir Hasan, Nayeem Hasan, Sanjamul Islam, Nurul Hasan, Saifuddin, Mizanur Rahman, Saif Hasan and Taskin Ahmed
