Dhaka: Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, chairman of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) selection panel, insisted that Naim Sheikh earned the spot in the national fold once again by improving his strike rate, a thing that the selectors advised him to do. Naim, who was a consistent performer in the domestic circuit over the last three years, scored 618 runs at an average of 61.18, but his strike rate was 121.89, significantly higher than his usual mid-90s performance.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Lipu stated today while announcing the team for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, “What we wanted from a batter is to bat with good intensity and a good strike rate.” He further added that their two openers, Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Parvez Hossain Emon, are complementing each other well, and although Naim may not play international cricket immediately, he was asked to improve his strike rate.
Lipu expressed his satisfaction with Naim’s work ethics, acknowledging that Naim has practiced and prepared ex
tensively. “We saw that he is batting with a very good strike rate at this moment,” Lipu said. Despite the good form of Tanzid and Emon, Naim, who was dropped from the national team following the 2023 Asia Cup, may have to wait for his chance as he is now considered the third opener.
Before selecting the team, the BCB is focusing on the ‘best possible combination’ at the moment, with the opener’s position being a specialist role. According to Lipu, “Usually there are three openers in a team. So we had to think about another opener. We chose Naim Sheikh as the best and most available player at the moment as an alternative.”
The last time Bangladesh played ODI cricket in the Champions Trophy in February this year, Soumya Sarkar was an integral part of the team. However, this time, Naim Sheikh is believed to replace Soumya. Lipu clarified that Soumya was not included in the squad due to his injury and recent form issues.
Lipu, also a former Bangladesh skipper, emphasized, “Soumya Sarkar is an important cricke
ter. He has 10 years of international cricket experience. We expect that he would keep himself ready by performing well.” He added that they have not forgotten Soumya and expect him to play a significant role in the team’s overall success once he proves his form.