Mohammad Saif Uddin arrived in Chattogram on Thursday along with captain Liton Kumar Das and some other teammates for the T20 series. Yet, the squad announced in the evening for the first two T20s against West Indies surprised many — Saif’s name was missing.
Bangladesh cricket has a history of unusual team selection decisions. Sometimes players with incomplete visas are selected; at other times, last-minute replacements happen. This instance raised similar curiosity.
When asked, chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain explained that Saif was left out due to squad composition requirements.
“The squad has 15 players, which will also be the size for the World Cup. We are trying to set combinations within these 15 now. To include four seamers, someone had to be excluded. This squad is for the first two matches, which is a normal process. Saif may feature later,” Hossain said.
Saif last played in the third T20 against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi, taking 3 wickets in 3 overs for 15 runs to help Bangladesh whitewash Afghanistan. While his omission created some questions, considering pitch conditions and team balance, it is understandable.
He was sent to Chattogram to continue training with the squad. Sources say this was to keep him match-ready for the potential third T20 and future World Cup considerations.
Cricket operations chairman Najmul Abedin also clarified: “Even if a player is not in the squad, he may stay with the team for preparation. This decision follows normal team management practices.”
The T20 series will be held at Bir Sreshtho Shaheed Flight Lt. Matiur Rahman Stadium in Chattogram, with the first match on Monday and the remaining two on Wednesday and Friday.
TSN