Mahmudullah Riyad and Mushfiqur Rahim may be grabbing the headlines because of their performances with the bat. However, beyond the two senior members of the side, a youngster has gradually carved a place into the heart of the team.

Why the heart you say? Because Bangladesh's batsmen have perennially struggled at number three. It's almost been like a curse batting there. And the fearless approach shown by the young Soumya Sarker in the World Cup thus far, suggests the Tigers have finally found someone who can handle the pressure at the top and also kick in those sweetly timed drives to puncture the opponents.

He may not have played an exceptional innings in the World Cup so far; but the way he has managed to stitch partnerships in almost every match suggests that the 22-year-old is a keeper. In 2007, it was the teenage trio of Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan that surprised India. Can Soumya be the X-factor in Melbourne in 2015? Whatever happens on Thursday, Soumya has already gained himself a number of fans in the side due to his positive approach.

"He may not be scoring enough runs, but his batting approach has added something valuable in the line-up. He is fearless and very much positive which gives the team a positive vibe," believed chief selector Faruque Ahmed, who is travelling with the team.

Captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza however showed a guarded approach. "He is natural talent. His fearless and positive approach has really brought a lot of confidence in the batting line-up. His gradual improvement really pleased me. But he has a long way to go and I hope he will not vanish like some of our other naturally talented batsmen."

Mashrafe's concerns were valid. The list of talented players in Bangladesh who have failed to live up to their expectations seems to have no end. From the Nafees Iqbals and Aftab Ahmeds to the Shahriar Nafees' and Mohammad Ashrafuls, Bangladesh's cricket have failed to make the most of the gifts that they were given.

A calm and collected lad, Soumya made a terrific start to his international campaign. He was selected out of the blue for the World Cup squad—having played just one ODI prior to that—and proved his worth by getting to his first half-century against New Zealand in the last game. The player heaved a sigh of relief after reaching the landmark; it clearly meant a lot to him. It was in a way, the completion of a dream that he had first seen as a teenager in school.

"I can still remember the 2007 World Cup match against India. I watched that match in BKSP. That's when I started dreaming to play in the national team.  When I was admitted in the BKSP I was confident of achieving that dream.

"The fact that I may get a chance to play against India in the World Cup on Thursday is extremely exciting for me. Actually I haven't done anything as yet. So it would be fantastic if I can contribute for my team in this crucial match," hoped the youngster.

His aggressive approach, he says, is a part of his natural style of batting. "I don't want to change it. I think I got it from my family atmosphere.  In my family, besides my parents we have three brothers and everybody loves to talk about cricket."

It's a dream come true for any newcomer to be a part of one of Bangladesh's best international phases. However, Soumya wants more. "Yes, it feels good that we are playing good cricket in the world cup as a team but personally I will be happy if we can qualify into the semifinal."