For Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Javed Omer, Rajin Saleh, Tapash Baishya and Syed Rasel this is the time to ride on cloud nine. On the other hand Khaled Mashud, Tushar Imran, Mehrab Hossain (Jr.) and Mohammad Sharif cannot be faulted for feeling that they have been served a raw deal. Afterall this is what selection or non-selection does to all of us.

The most astounding omission in the 15-member squad for the West Indies was that of veteran wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud. His dreams of playing in a third straight World Cup was shot down when Mushfiqur Rahim was picked as the specialist wicketkeeper.

Mashud was difficult to reach on Tuesday. He had heard from Tigers coach Dav Whatmore about his fate just seconds before the team was officially announced and understandably preferred not to entertain the barrage of phone calls seeking his reaction.

He however told Bangla daily Amar Desh that the news came out of the blue.

"I never thought this would happen," said Mashud who was then greeted with the obvious supplementary question related to future plans and retirement.

"Right now I am not thinking in that line at all and not reassessing my future also," said the 30-year-old.

Tushar Imran was more forthright about what he thought regarding the views of the selectors that he has been given enough opportunities

"I agree that they gave me chances but those games were mostly against Australia and England in England. In the last series (in Zimbabwe) I got one match and was out first ball. But I went to the crease at number seven which is not my position."

"They (the selectors) did not want me in the team. I think it would have been better had I not been picked for Zimbabwe. Then I could have played in the domestic league and maybe a hundred or two here would have got me a World Cup ticket like some of the others," said Tushar.

Despite the feeling of frustration, the 24-year-old refused to allow disappointment to get the better of him. "I take this as a challenge. I will try to perform well for the Bangladesh A team against England A if I am selected and hopefully I will make a comeback for the national team sooner rather than later."

Mehrab Hossain (Jr.), the 19-year-old opener, took his exclusion sportingly but admitted that it was not expected.

"I could not perform in the last series but before that I though I had formed a good opening role with Shahriar Nafees in the home series against Zimbabwe and Scotland. So it came as a shock to me. But I believe the selectors chose the squad for the greater interest of the country. Now my job is to concentrate more on my work and hopefully I will return shortly."

It is a mystery for Mohammad Sharif why he is not in the World Cup squad.

"I was extremely hopeful even yesterday night that I was going to the West Indies. But the chief selector (Faruque Ahmed) called me in the morning to tell me that I was not in the side because of my injury."

"Actually right now I have no injury problems at all. I had a hamstring cramp in the second ODI and that healed the same day. Team physio Paul (Close) has also given me a green signal about my fitness," claimed Sharif.

It's a completely different emotion story for Rahim, Tamim, Javed, Saleh, Rasel and Tapash.

"I was pretty confident about making the squad after my performance in Zimbabwe. I have got my reward. Obviously I am delighted," said Rahim. He also brushed aside suggestions that he will be under pressure to step in the shoes of Mashud, someone who can be regarded as one of the very best behind the wicket in international cricket.

"There is no pressure. You can call it a challenge which I am absolutely determined to win by performing to my level best."

This has been a make-believe season for opener Tamim.

"Before the start of the Premier League if someone had told me that I'd be going to Zimbabwe with the national squad, I would have laughed it off. Imagine what my reaction would be at this (World Cup selection). This is beyond my imagination," said Tamim.

"After the Zimbabwe tour I saw a glimmer of hope as I played reasonably well in the last ODI. So when I found my name in the World Cup squad on Channel i it was unbelievable. Now all my friend and close ones will celebrate this occasion with a 'Bachelor's Party' tonight."

Tamim, the youngest member of the side at 17, also promised to play in his natural aggressive way in the World Cup. "I can not guarantee success but I can assure you that my approach will be the same."

Experienced campaigners Javed and Saleh were the relatively surprise inclusions in the World Cup squad. For Javed the World Cup has always been like a mirage. On the last two occasions he had been in the running only to be left out at the last moment.

"I had performance under my belt yet I could not get the call up in the last two tournaments, so I was overjoyed when I heard that I am in the 2007 squad. I was optimistic because I have been performing well in the domestic league."

"It was not an unexpected call up for me but I could not believe my ears when I first heard it from skipper Habibul Bashar. Thanks to the Almighty," said Saleh who has been in excellent batting form lately in domestic cricket.

Left arm pacer Syed Rasel was rather philosophical.

"I knew that my chances of playing in the World Cup were 50-50. I was quite disappointed when I was dropped from the national team for the Zimbabwe tour despite a decent success rate. So this time I want to cement my place in the team. Regarding World Cup? I dream of playing at least one match if not all"

Rasel's fellow paceman Tapash heard the good news from one of his friends who saw the squad being announced on television. "At first I could not believe it. However this is not the time to celebrate or feel satisfied. I want to celebrate this call up by performing well in the World Cup."

We have carried part of this story of tigercricket.com on Thursday in the sports page under a different headline. We feel that we should publish the entire story along with its original title.