'A very big deal'

Few would have expected Mohammad Mithun, who was waiting in the outer half of the long list for the last couple of months, to make the cut for the ICC World Twenty20. Here's a player who was not tested during the Zimbabwe series and last played international cricket in August 2014.

However, with scores of 85, 42 and 67 in the three practice matches following the Zimbabwe series in Khulna, Mithun convinced the team management to take the gamble.

Upon getting the news yesterday evening, the 25-year-old was over the moon.

“This is a very big deal for me. I have been playing cricket for some time and to be able to represent your country at the highest level is something to be proud about,” Mithun told The Daily Star.

“The first thing that I did was tell my family about it and they were really happy. Actually they always support me and are always excited about my achievements. This has been my family's dream,” he added.

While Mithun was never certain of making the squad, he was excited after performing well in the practice matches.

“I won't say that I was surprised when I got selected for the team. I did well in the practice matches and after that I hoped for the best. Actually when I first joined the camp [the T20 training camp that started before the Zimbabwe series] , a set of teams had already been submitted for the Zimbabwe series.

“But that did not discourage me. I just tried to do my best. You keep trying and eventually things work out. That's what I believe,” said Mithun.