Mohammad Saif Uddin traveled to Chattogram on Thursday along with captain Liton Kumar Das and several others for the T20 series. However, when the squad for the first two T20 matches against the West Indies was announced in the evening, many were surprised to see his name missing.
Controversy around team selection is not new in Bangladesh cricket. Sometimes, players without visas have been included, or someone in the squad is suddenly flown in at the last minute, replacing another. This incident raised similar curiosity and questions.
When asked why Saif was sent to Chattogram but not included in the squad, chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain told BDNews24.com that this decision was due to squad composition.
“This is a 15-member squad. The World Cup squad will also have 15 players. We are trying to set combinations within these 15 from now. To include four seamers, someone had to be left out. This is the squad for the first two matches — it’s a normal process. He (Saif) may be included later,” he explained.
Saif Uddin last played in the third T20 against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi, helping Bangladesh complete a whitewash by taking 3 wickets for 15 runs in 3 overs. His omission raised some questions, but considering team balance and pitch conditions, it was not unusual.
He was sent to Chattogram mainly to continue training with the team. The management wants him ready mentally and physically for potential inclusion in the third T20 match and future World Cup plans.
Even the chairman of the cricket operations department, Najmul Abedin, echoed the same sentiment: “Even if a player is not in the squad, he may need to be with the team for preparation. This is a standard decision for team balance.”
The first T20 match will be played at Bir Sreshtho Shaheed Flight Lt. Matiur Rahman Stadium in Chattogram on Monday, with the next two matches on Wednesday and Friday.