Sports Desk:

When Nurul Hasan Sohan smashed three sixes and three fours in the final over to guide Rangpur Riders to a thrilling win over Fortune Barishal in last year’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) league phase, many believed he was ready for the national T20I side.

Sharp behind the stumps and increasingly consistent as a finisher in the BPL and Dhaka Premier League (DPL), Sohan appeared to be the ideal successor to Mahmudullah Riyad, who had long served as the team’s late-order enforcer.

However, Sohan hasn’t featured for Bangladesh in T20Is since the 2022 World Cup in Australia, where his batting fell short of expectations. In the most recent DPL, he impressed with 522 runs for Dhanmondi Sports Club, averaging 58 with a high strike rate. His two centuries, including a counter-attacking 132 against Mohammedan, highlighted his ability to anchor innings.

Despite his domestic form, a national recall remained elusive. Ahead of the Sri Lanka series earlier this year, hopes were high for his return, but his wait continued.

“Regarding Sohan, he is under consideration, but due to team balance, we can’t include multiple wicketkeepers in the same squad,” said BCB chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu when explaining Sohan’s omission from the 16-member ODI squad for the Lanka series.

Lipu also noted that Litton Das needed ODI opportunities to regain form and lead the T20I side effectively.

“Sohan is certainly in our minds. He’s very effective in the No. 6 and 7 positions. I believe we’ll see him again soon,” the chief selector added in June.

That opportunity may now be within reach. Sohan was named in both the Bangladesh ‘A’ squad for the Top End T20 tournament in Australia (August 14-24) and the preliminary national squad for the upcoming Netherlands series and the Asia Cup.

With the Netherlands series likely to take place in late August, the Top End T20 could be a crucial platform for Sohan’s national return. After a frustrating wait, the door is ajar with the Asia Cup just around the corner. Now, it’s up to Sohan to make it count.