'Unfriendly conditions an advantage'
Six months ago, even the most optimistic Sanjamul Islam fans would not have expected the slow left-armer to make the Champions Trophy squad in England. Today, the 27-year-old uncapped player is not only a part of the 15-member Champions Trophy squad but will also be travelling to Ireland to play the tri-nation series.
A regular performer in domestic cricket, Sanjamul was never really noticed due to the army of left-arm bowlers Bangladesh possesses. However, with Arafat Sunny and Mosharraf Hossain out of national reckoning, Sanjamul was picked as the left-arm option for the Sri Lanka series and eventually into the big league.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, an excited Sanjamul said that he hopes to make an impact on the big stage. “These are big events, the tri-nation series and the Champions Trophy. I did not get a chance to play in Sri Lanka and that was a bit unfortunate. But being selected for these two competitions has boosted me up again,” Sanjamul said.
“Before being selected for the Sri Lanka series I watched international cricket on TV. In Sri Lanka I watched it from the dugout, and there's plenty of difference. I practised with the team, stayed with them and gained a lot of valuable experience,” he added.
The left-armer, who has taken more than 200 first-class wickets and has a fine List A bowling average of 26.92, is not afraid of bowling on the seaming wickets of England.
“If you bowl in these conditions you need to concentrate a lot and that's an advantage. If you do well, your value increases. It is challenging, but it's good for you as a player,” he explained.
Sabbir Rahman, Sanjamul's senior colleague in terms of international experience, reiterated Sanjamul's views and expects Bangladesh to do well in the Champions Trophy.
“We are playing in the Dhaka Premier League to gain confidence. Yes, the wicket and the weather here are different, but scoring runs anywhere can do you plenty of good. Aside from playing in the league, we are practising in simulated conditions that will help us bat in England,” said Sabbir.
“As a team, if we give our 100 percent, we can beat any side. We are not focused on the opponent. We want to give our best. So our first target is to play good cricket. I want to show the world how well I play in the big event,” he added.
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