Soumya, Ariful depart for Windies

Bangladesh batsman Soumya Sarkar and all-rounder Ariful Haque departed for the West Indies yesterday to join the Bangladesh squad for the three-match T20I series, which begins on July 31.

Soumya was also included in the Bangladesh A team for their tour of Ireland and is set to lead the T20 squad later on the tour. The left-hander will join the A team in Ireland, after completing the T20I series against West Indies, and will act as deputy to Mominul Haque for the one-day series in Ireland, which gets underway from August 1.

After the completion of the third ODI against West Indies on July 28, captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza will return to Bangladesh while Nazmul Hossain Shanto will join the A team. Bangladesh A will depart for Ireland on July 28 and will participate in a five-match one-day series followed by a three-match T20I series.

The upcoming T20I series in West Indies and the A team series in Ireland will be another chance for Soumya to regain some form as the left-hander has been suffering through a prolonged lean patch.