'Something different' on coach's mind
The inclusion of Mohammad Mithun in Bangladesh's World Cup squad had raised quite a few eyebrows, not because of any questions about his credentials -- there is no doubt about his talent -- but because he came in at the expense of the in-form Imrul Kayes.
When the 15-member team was disclosed to the media on February 3, chief selector Faruque Ahmed said that they had decided to select Mithun ahead of Imrul since the former fit the team management and the coach's plan better.
Two days on, coach Chandika Hathurusingha revealed that Mithun was selected in the side because of his versatility.
“He [Mithun] is impressive. We think he can help us give a different dimension being a right-hander at the top of the order. He has the ability to bat in the middle as well. That's why he was considered.
“He has been on our radar for quite some time. He did well in the A team and even in the Bangladesh Premier League he scored runs when he opened the innings,” said Hathurusingha.
While Mithun did not feature during the four-match Zimbabwe series, he did well in the practice matches that took place in Khulna after the series. Having hit form at the right time, the team reckons that Mithun can be the best possible backup for the opening position.
The other aspect of the team that created quite a stir was regarding the number of pacers in the side. Of the 15 players, Bangladesh have picked five pacers. The spin attack essentially will mostly be in the hands of all-rounders, since Arafat Sunny is the only specialist spinner in the side.
The reason behind that, according to the selection committee, are the seaming conditions in Dharamshala, where Bangladesh will be playing its qualifying games.
However, no matter what the conditions, it's not very common for a Bangladeshi contingent to be packed with pacers. When asked about the relatively different move taken by the team management, Hathurusingha said:” There have been many new things in Bangladesh recently, haven't there? What happens if we continue doing the same thing? Are we good in T20s? No.”
“If we do something different, we might get worse, we might do better. But if we do the same thing, nothing different will happen,” he further opined.
The Bangladesh national team will shift to Chittagong and restart their training camp for the Asia Cup and the World Twenty20 from tomorrow. While the World Cup squad has been announced, the squad for the Asia Cup, which is scheduled to begin on February 24, is yet to be revealed. However, selectors had earlier revealed that there isn't likely to be much of a difference between the squads for the two tournaments.