Contrasting scenarios for men and women’s Asian Games preparation

While the women's side have been undergoing camp in Sylhet as part of their preparations for the Asian Games in September, the men's side still have to contend with fragmentation brought on by the Asia Cup and the World Cup assignments for the national team.

A preliminary team has been submitted for the Asian Games but is yet to be announced. According to rules of the Games, a 32-member squad had to be provided initially which the BCB had submitted a while back. From that, a 15-member squad will be named officially. There is no age-restriction for the upcoming tournament. The already formed men's squad mostly contains young stars, according to BCB officials.

The women's team have been undergoing camp in Sylhet since August 14 and are joined by a host of U-19 players, who are also undergoing their camp with the coaching staff in Sylhet.

Meanwhile in men's cricket, the Bangla Tigers program, HP Team, along with the national team are undergoing separate camps. There are also nine players, listed as back-ups, including probables for New Zealand series along with the Asia Cup standbys, are undertaking a separate camp away from the national side.

The likes of Soumya Sarkar, Mosaddek Hossain and Taijul Islam had been undergoing training as part of that list of "backups". Saif Hassan is there too and, although there are suggestions that he may be named as skipper of the side, his inclusion in that list of backups also makes him uncertain for the Asian Games at the moment.

"Haven't gotten a message [regarding Asian Games]. If I get the opportunity, I will try to do my best. Haven't received any information regarding captaincy," Saif told the media yesterday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

It is a precarious position for Saif, who at this moment remains a standby player for the Asia Cup. He, however, had received some instruction from national team head coach Chandika Hathurusingha for the camp with backup stars. "I have talked [to Hathurusingha]. I was in the training sessions the last few days and his message was that the intensity [of training] should be high," Saif said.

At this moment any door may open for him according to the scenario. However, without the squad being named, the practice regime continues separately. The squad of 15 cannot come from outside the 32-member squad initially named. It was learned that changes can be made to the final 15-member squad only in case of injury.

Both the Bangladesh men's and women's side would start their Asian Games from the quarterfinal stage as Test-playing nations.