Bangladesh World Cup Squad
Batsmen
Tamim Iqbal (Vice-Captain) - 21 - Left Hand Opening Batsman
Imrul Kayes - 23 - Left Hand Opening Batsman
Shahriar Nafees - 24 - Left Hand Opening/Top Order Batsman
Junaid Siddique - 23 - Left Hand Top Order Batsman
Mohammad Ashraful - 26 - Right Hand Top/Middle Order Batsman
Raqibul Hasan - 23 - Right Hand Middle Order Batsman
Mushfiqur Rahim - 22 - Wicket Keeper - Right Hand Middle Order Batsman
All-Rounders
Shakib Al-Hasan (Captain) - 23 - Left Hand Middle Order Batsman - Left Arm Orthodox Spin Bowler
Naeem Islam - 24 - Right Hand Middle Order Batsman - Right Arm Off Spin Bowler
Mahmudullah - Right Arm Off Spin Bowler - Right Hand Middle Order Batsman
Spin Bowlers
Suhrawadi Shuvo - 22 - Left Arm Orthodox Spin Bowler
Abdur Razzak - 28 - Left Arm Orthodox Spin Bowler
Fast Bowlers
Nazmul Hossain - 23 - Right Arm Medium Fast Bowler
Shafiul Islam - 21 - Right Arm Fast Medium Bowler
Rubel Hossain - 21 - Right Arm Medium Fast Bowler
This World Cup represents a coming of age not just for Bangladesh's cricket team, but for the whole nation. A country of just four decades, their rise as a cricking power has been meteoric. Little more than a decade ago Bangladesh were an associate minnow, considered comfortably below Kenya and barely on par with the likes of the Scottish and Dutch. Victory over Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup was the primary stepping stone and a year later they had jumped the queue to become the 10th Test nation. But through all the steady progress in cricketing infrastructure, Test match success has been hard to come by. A disappointing 2003 World Cup where they failed to win a game, including losses to Kenya and Canada, caused many people to question their status. A first Test win came in 2005 over a declining Zimbabwe but did little to allay concerns. But since the last World Cup four years ago, Bangladesh's improvement has taken a steeper slope.
The historic win over India to qualify for the Super Eights, where they recorded another huge upset over South Africa, announced Bangladesh's arrival on the world stage. An extremely telling insight into the threat Bangladesh poses is a stat that few people seem to have taken notice of or mentioned. As of 2010 with an ODI win over England in Bristol, Bangladesh have now beaten every other Test playing nation at least once in an international match. In the last two years Bangladesh have also achieved the milestones of first Test and ODI series wins over (non-Zimbabwe) Test opposition. In 2009 Bangladesh took advantage of contract disputes in the West Indies to score twin whitewashes over a weakened team 2-0 in the Test series and 3-0 in the ODI series. Then in late 2010 came the first series win over full strength opposition, an emphatic 4-0 ODI belting of New Zealand. Looking to the future, Bangladesh cricket is in a particularly healthy place thanks to the subcontinent culture of bringing cricketers up through the levels at absurdly young ages, creating teenage international players. The Bangladesh team is made up almost exclusively of men in their early 20s, but a majority of them now have at least two to four years experience as internationals.
For all of Bangladesh's improvement, their overall status must be kept in perspective. They remain right in the lower reaches of the Test playing echelon. Their batting ranks outside the superstars Tamim and Shakib remain of a scratchy standard in an international context, and their fast bowling attack is still not of international quality. But make no mistake, Bangladesh have the weapons to do anything in this World Cup. A slew of ever-improving dangerous spin bowlers is led by their enterprising captain Shakib Al-Hasan, who must surely qualify as the best all-rounder in the world. Shakib bats at No.4 or 5 and is a genuine world class run machine, all while being his nation's premier strike bowler. The other of Bangladesh's trump cards is vice-captain Tamim Iqbal, who's impetuous destructiveness at the top of the order makes Chris Gayle look staid and consistent. If the now quite experienced middle-order batting and support spin bowling can back up Tamim and Shakib on a regular basis, Bangladesh will be a genuine force at this World Cup.
Bangladesh play all six of their group games on home turf at this World Cup, and the advantage they gain by this cannot be underestimated. Bangladesh by far have the greatest discrepancy between their home and away performances of any Test nation. Away from the subcontinent Bangladesh can still be easy beats, as they lack genuine depth in batting and especially are absent of world class fast bowlers. But the truckloads of quality spinners and uniquely spin friendly conditions (even compared to India and Sri Lanka) make Bangladesh at home every bit as tough as even the top ranked teams. No team will escape Dhaka or Chittagong without a real fight.
Prediction
Unless they have very off days, India and South Africa will probably be beyond the Bangladeshis. But winning all four other games is genuinely realistic. In all likelihood the final Quarter-final spot will come down to the Bangladesh-West Indies match which promises to be a humdinger. But at home Bangladesh are a genuine power, and would have to be considered favourites for that game. Expect to see them in the Quarter Finals.
Hosford's XI
Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Ashraful, Shakib Al-Hasan (C), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Naeem Islam, Abdur Razzak, Shafiul Islam, Rubel Hossain
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