The inclusion of Nurul Hasan and Saif Hassan in Bangladesh’s Asia Cup squad was the result of selectors’ deep dive thinking, said chairman of the national selection committee Gazi Ashraf Hossain on Saturday.Ìý
Nurul was included in the T20I team after almost three years, while Saif came after almost two years. Opener Mohammad Naim and all-rounder and ODI captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz made way for them.Ìý
The numbers of Nurul since his last T20I for the Tigers aren’t somewhat impressive, as he scored 1,007 runs at an average of 26.50 while hitting two fifties. However, the 30-year-old had been in the discussion for selection for quite a while now.Ìý
When Ashraf was asked whether those discussions influenced their decision to pick him, he labelled it ‘a strategic decision’.Ìý
‘There is a process behind every selection. On some occasions there is deep-dive thinking from us. Occasionally we don’t pick [someone] for the greater interest,’ Ashraf told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Saturday.Ìý
‘There was so much discussion on Sohan [Nurul] before the T20 team of the Sri Lanka tour. We had thought that if the formation was okay, then the opportunity for him would have been much less. That’s why we thought it would be better for him to play in the Global Super League, as we knew he was going to play in the Top End T20 series,’ he added.Ìý
‘You can say that he was on our radar. Maybe we couldn’t give him international exposure, but he got the chance at the next best level. That was a strategic decision,’ Ashraf said.Ìý
Ashraf also said that Nurul would be considered as a backup for Jaker Ali.Ìý
He said, ‘Unfortunately, we don’t have performers in like-to-like replacement. But he’s a good choice in number five or six considering his confidence, approach and pattern of cricket.’
Ashraf also said that Saif got the nods for his versatility. He recently hit a fifty in the Top End T20 while bowling quite regularly.Ìý
‘We had to go for a deep dive thinking about this selection,’ he said. ‘We have discussed a lot. We needed a batter who could bowl a bit. He can address this purpose. We had an eye on him, as he could be used at number three or four, even in the opening. That’s why we included him this time.’Ìý
‘We are finding players like him who can be used in multiple places. The team need them very much,’ he added.Ìý
Saif basically came in the place of Mohammad Naim, who scored 45 runs in three matches since his comeback. The left-hander couldn’t cross 25 runs in the six innings he played in the Top End T20.Ìý
Ashraf said that Naim couldn’t fulfil their expectations.Ìý
‘We thought Naim really worked hard. We were hopeful that he could grab the position, which would have been great for himself and the team. Unfortunately that was not the case,’ said Ashraf.Ìý
‘He couldn’t address it in the lower level too. I believe that Naim knows if he were to retain the place, he would need to improve more. We will continue to support him,’ he added.Ìý
As far as Mehidy’s exclusion is concerned, according to Ashraf, the all-rounder is needed more in the other two formats.Ìý
He said, ‘Miraz is invaluable in both Test and ODI. World cricket knows him for his all-round performance. But there will be an effect of his T20 cricket on other formats too. But he still loves the game; he wants to play the game.’Ìý
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