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Rahim from nowhere

Paced-up Tigers for England

STAFF CORRESPONDENT, Ctg
Mushfiqur Rahim was an inclusion out of the blue in the England bound Bangladesh squad which was announced here on Thursday.
Wicket-keeper Rahim, who is now leading the Bangladesh Under 19 squad in Australia and was not part of the Tigers' 20-man preliminary squad, was added to the 16-man team as cover for long-serving Khaled Mashud.
There were as many as five pace bowlers including 18-year-old Shahdat Hossain Rajib, reputed to be the quickest in the country, who received his first call-up to the senior team. Also in the side for the first time was left-handed teenaged opener Shahriar Nafees Ahmed. Both Shahdat and Shahriar had toured England last year with the U-19 squad for a Test and one-day series against the hosts. Lanky quick Anwar Hossain returned to the main fold after living in the wilderness since touring Australia in 2003.
There was no room for left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak. All-rounders Khaled Mahmud and Manzarul Islam Rana, paceman Nazmul Hossain and batsman Tushar Imran were not part of the Test plans. The four will join the side in England at the start of the second and final Test for the triangular one-day competition also involving England and Australia.
"We have taken into consideration the conditions in England. Shahriar has been a consistent performer for the last one and half years in domestic cricket and has also toured England. These factors helped his selection as an extra opener," said chief selector Faruque Ahmed while declaring the team at Chittagong Club. This was the first time the national cricket team was being announced outside of Dhaka. Faruque also felt that the southpaw had what it takes to bat at number three or the down the order.
About Shahdat, Faruque said he had the potential to do well in England where conditions would favour him.
"His pace is similar to
Mashrafee's and he has performed well in the recent Zimbabwe tour with the A team." Shahdat took 12 wickets in the two A Tests he played and bagged another eight in five limited over matches in Zimbabwe.
Faruque also explained the reason behind the surprise choice of Rahim: "It will be a long tour which might put extra burden and pressure on Mashud. To provide him some relief, we are taking Rahim as the second wicketkeeper."
Faruque observed that the best possible squad had been selected and coach Dav Whatmore was also of the same opinion.
"The condition in England is totally different and tough. Yet our objective will be to show people there that our boys have improved over the last few series," said Whatmore who signed a fresh two-year contract with the Tigers on Wednesday.
On expectations Faruque said he wants the side to fight hard. "We all know how strong the England team is. Despite that we will try to make our presence felt."
SEE PAGE 17 COL 1 FROM PAGE 16
THE TEST SQUAD
Habibul Bashar (captain), Khaled Mashud (vice captain/ wicket keeper), Mushfiqur Rahim (wicket keeper), Mohammad Ashraful, Javed Omar Belim, Rajin Saleh Alam, Nafees Iqbal, Aftab Ahmed Chowdhury, Shahriar Nafees Ahmed, Mohammad Rafique, Enamul Haque Jr, Mashrafee Bin Mortaza, Anwar Hossain, Talha Jubair and Shahdat Hossain.
THE 4 TO JOIN ODI SQUAD Khaled Mahmud, Tushar Imran, Nazmul Hossain and Manzarul Islam.