'I want to be in the World Cup squad'
Nasir Hossain's omission was the first thing that struck many when the selectors declared their 14-member squad for the matches against Zimbabwe.
The player's turners after all proved to be quite crucial for the Tigers both during the World Cup and the international matches that Bangladesh played last year.
The selectors described the move as 'an experiment' that they wanted to employ in the first two T20Is.
They replaced him with another off-spinning all-rounder, Shuvagata Hom. A player who has the ability to give the ball quite a whack, Shuvagata has been included in the side mainly because he impressed with the Bangladesh A team.
In September in India he scored three consecutive half-centuries -- two against Karnataka and one against India A. During Bangladesh A's tour of Africa in November, he posted a crucial 92 against Zimbabwe A.
His batting numbers seemed to improve quite a bit in the recent past and that combined with his ability to flight those turners, compelled the selectors to try him out.
It's an opportunity that Shuvagata, who many expected to fade away after from international cricket after being dropped following the India series, wants to make full use of.
"This is obviously a very good opportunity for me. And I am going to try my level best to find a spot in the Asia Cup and World Cup squads," Shuvagata told reporters following Bangladesh's training session at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna yesterday.
The last time Shuvagata represented the Tigers in the limited overs format was back in 2011, when he played the ODI series against Zimbabwe. Ever since then he has been considered mainly for Tests.
The all-rounder though believes that he can excel in T20 cricket.
"I am a natural stroke-player. I have always enjoyed playing with a free hand. Be it the Dhaka Premier League or the National Cricket League, I never restricted my scoring. That's why I feel I can do well in this format," said Shuvagata.
"I did well in the Bangladesh Premier League towards the end and I feel that I can repeat my performances at this level as well," he added.
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