Soumya fails to cash in again

Soumya Sarkar continues to remain an enigma in Bangladesh cricket, as the batter spurned yet another golden opportunity to stake a claim for a permanent spot with his performances in the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand.

Soumya sat out the first game before being drafted in at number three for the second ODI in Mirpur, a position he retained for today’s series-deciding third match in Chattogram. In the second ODI, there were early signs of promise as he struck a glorious six over cover. However, his stay ended on 8 off 11 balls in an unconventional manner, attempting a periscope shot that mistimed off the bat and ballooned to a fielder in the slip cordon.

He had shown encouraging signs in the nets despite being on the sidelines, suggesting he was in good touch. Heading into the third ODI in Chattogram, the pitch -- with its pace and carry -- seemed suited to Soumya’s natural timing ability.

Although Bangladesh lost two early wickets, Soumya appeared in fluent touch. His balance and weight transfer looked solid as he drove crisply through the covers for a few boundaries. However, just as he seemed set, he departed at an inopportune moment.

In the ninth over, Will O’Rourke extracted extra bounce from the surface, and Soumya, unable to adjust, was late on a tentative dab. The ball took the bat and crashed onto the stumps -- a dismissal similar to Tanzid Tamim’s earlier in the innings.

At a time when Bangladesh are looking to build a settled combination ahead of the upcoming ODI World Cup, Soumya -- who had spent the entire Pakistan series on the sidelines despite being in the squad -- needed to make his opportunity count. Yet, just when he looked poised to settle in, he let another chance slip.

Over his 11-year international career, Soumya has often been unfortunate with selection decisions, but he has also been responsible for squandering opportunities, especially on good batting surfaces.

With adaptability to conditions still a major concern in Bangladesh cricket, Soumya failed to recognise the need to play straight and deal with deliveries of that length. Notably, his bat came down at a similar angle to Tanzid’s, suggesting he had not learned from the opener’s mistake.

Another opportunity goes begging, and Soumya continues to puzzle -- his evident talent yet to translate into consistent impact, perhaps due to shortcomings in match awareness, a broader issue within Bangladesh cricket.