Soumya Sarkar

Soumya Sarkar (Bengali: সৌম্য সরকার; born 25 February 1993) is a Bangladeshi cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a right arm medium-fast bowler who mainly plays as an opening batsman and the creator of the good looking " Periscope Shot". He is the only batsman to hit 2 sixes in the first over in a T20 World Cup match. Sarkar plays for the Cumilla Warriors in the Bangladesh Premier League, Khulna Division in the National Cricket League, and Prime Bank Cricket Club in the Dhaka Premier Division.In Bangladesh Premier League draft, he has been drafted by Dhaka Dominators.

Soumya Sarkar

Soumya in 2018
Personal information
Born	(1993-02-25) 25 February 1993 (age 30) Satkhira, Bangladesh
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium-fast
Role	Top-order batsman
International information
National side	Bangladesh (2014–present)
Test debut (cap 76)	28 April 2015 v Pakistan
Last Test	11 February 2021 v West Indies
ODI debut (cap 115)	1 December 2014 v Zimbabwe
Last ODI	26 March 2021 v New Zealand
T20I debut (cap 45)	24 April 2015 v Pakistan
Last T20I	6 November 2022 v Pakistan
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2015–2018	South Zone
2012	Duronto Rajshahi
2013	Dhaka Gladiators
2015–2016	Rangpur Riders
2017	Chittagong Vikings
2018–present	Kandahar Knights
2019	Rajshahi Kings
2019-2020	Cumilla Warriors
2020	Central Zone
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I FC Matches 16 61 68 77 Runs scored 831 1,768 1,163 4,004 Batting average 27.70 32.14 17.89 31.52 100s/50s 1/4 2/11 0/5 5/24 Top score 149 127* 68 150 Balls bowled 508 400 246 3,372 Wickets 4 11 10 42 Bowling average 84.00 35.36 38.80 44.30 5 wickets in innings 0 0 0 2 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0 Best bowling 2/68 3/56 2/19 5/34 Catches/stumpings 23/– 34/– 33/– 63/–
Medal record Men's Cricket Representing  Bangladesh Asia Cup Runner-up 2016 Bangladesh Runner-up 2018 UAE South Asian Games 2019 Kathmandu Team
Source: ESPN Cricinfo, 6 November 2022

Personal life

Sarkar was born in Satkhira to a Bengali Hindu family. He was named Soumya Shanto but later the word 'Shanto' was dropped from his name. On 27 February 2020, Sarkar married his long-time girlfriend Priyonti Debnath Puja.^[1] The marriage ceremony was held at Khulna Club. His wife, 21-year-old Puja, is the daughter of Gopal Debnath of Tutpara village in Khulna.

Domestic career

Sarkar is a top-order batter, who was a part of the 2010 and 2012 Under-19 World Cup teams. In the 2012 Under-19 World Cup, Sarkar came into the spotlight after 'mankading' Australia's Jimmy Peirson.^[2] He made his first-class debut for Khulna Division against Dhaka Division in the 2010–11 season.

In April 2019, in the final round of matches in the 2018–19 Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, Sarkar scored 208 not out batting for Abahani Limited against Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club. It was the highest individual total in List A cricket in Bangladesh,^[3] and the first double century in List A cricket by a Bangladeshi batsman.^[4] Sarkar's innings also contained 16 sixes, also a record for a List A innings in Bangladesh.^[3] His record breaking innings propelled Abahani Limited to their 20th Dhaka Premier League title.^[5]

Bangladesh Premier League

In October 2018, Sarkar was named in the squad for the Rajshahi Kings team, following the draft for the 2018–19 Bangladesh Premier League.^[6]

In November 2019, Sarkar was selected to play for the Cumilla Warriors in the 2019–20 Bangladesh Premier League.^[7] On 28 December 2019, he scored 88* against Rajshahi Royals in the 2019–20 BPL, which was his highest individual score in T20 and his first fifty plus score in last four years in T20.^[8] He had a successful journey in the BPL having scored 331 runs and picking up 12 wickets in 12 matches.

Sarkar played for Gazi Group Chattogram In 2020-21 Bangabandhu T20 Cup.^[9]

International career

2013–2014

In November 2013, Sarkar was included in Bangladesh's T20 squad for a one-off game against New Zealand, but did not find a place in the final XI. Sarkar was included in the squad for Bangladesh's home series against Zimbabwe in 2014 and finally, he made his One Day International debut for Bangladesh against Zimbabwe on 1 December 2014.^[10]

2015–2019

Sarkar represented Bangladesh in the 2015 Cricket World Cup.^[11][12] He holds the record along with Mohammad Kaif and Umar Akmal for taking the most catches in a single World Cup match (4).^[13] Sarkar made his Twenty20 International debut for Bangladesh against Pakistan in April 2015.^[14] On 22 April 2015, Sarkar hit his maiden ODI hundred and added 145 with Tamim Iqbal.^[15][16] He made his Test debut against Pakistan in April 2015.^[17]

Sarkar also played in Bangladesh's 100th Test match, where they defeated Sri Lanka on their home soil. He played a key role in that historic Test match, scoring 61 in the first innings and taking five catches, the most by any player for Bangladesh in a single Test match.^[18][19][20] Sarkar also set the record for taking the most catches for Bangladeshi in a Test innings (4).^[21]

In 2019, Sarkar scored his maiden Test century against New Zealand at Seddon Park equaling Tamim Iqbal's record who also scored a century in 94 balls against England at Lord's in 2010.^[22][23] In April 2019, he was named in Bangladesh's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.^[24][25] On 24 June 2019, in the match against Afghanistan, Soumya played in his 50th ODI.^[26]

In November 2019, Sarkar was named in Bangladesh's squad for the 2019 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Bangladesh.^[27] He was adjudged player of the tournament.^[28] Later the same month, he was named in Bangladesh's squad for the cricket tournament at the 2019 South Asian Games.^[29] Bangladesh cricket team won the gold medal, after they beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the final.^[30]

2020-present

In February–March 2020, Sarkar did not feature in the Test and ODI series when Zimbabwe toured Bangladesh due to his marriage.^[31] But he was included in the two-match T20I series. In the first T20I, he scored 62 off 32 balls, his highest individual score in T20I (as of 22 May 2021), helping Bangladesh to win the match by 48 runs.^[32]

He was named in the T20I squad played against Zimbabwe in July 2021. In the first T20I, he scored his 1000th T20I runs, becoming only fifth Bangladeshi batsman to score 1000 T20I runs^[33] and scoring 50 runs off 45 helped Bangladesh for a comprehensive eight-wicket victory.^[34] Though he failed with bat in the second match, but in the third match he took two wickets conceding 19 runs in 3 overs and scored his career-best 68 off 49 balls, helping Bangladesh to chase a mammoth target of 193 and winning the series by 2–1 margin. He became the Player of the series for his all-round performance, scoring 126 runs at an average of 42 and picking up 3 wickets.^[35]

In September 2021, he was named in Bangladesh's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.^[36]

References

1. "Soumya Sarkar gets married". The Independent BD. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
2. "Lesson learned from Peirson's Mankading - Bosisto". ESPNcricinfo. 19 August 2012.
3. "Soumya's double ton and record sixes clinches DPL for Abahani". The Daily Star. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
4. "Soumya becomes Bangladesh's first ever to score List-A double hundred". BDCrictime. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
5. Mohammad Isam (23 April 2019). "Soumya Sarkar slams record double-ton as Abahani win 20th DPL title". ESPNcricinfo.
6. "Full players list of the teams following Players Draft of BPL T20 2018-19". Bangladesh Cricket Board. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
7. "BPL draft: Tamim Iqbal to team up with coach Mohammad Salahuddin for Dhaka". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
8. সৌম্য জ্বললেন, সাব্বির হারালেন. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Retrieved 28 December 2019.
9. "Khulna picked Shakib in Bangabandhu T20 cup". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
10. "Zimbabwe tour of Bangladesh, 5th ODI: Bangladesh v Zimbabwe at Dhaka, Dec 1, 2014". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
11. "Bangladesh Squad". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
12. "ICC ODI Championship Batting Rankings". LGICCRANKINGS.COM. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
13. "Cricket Records | Records | World Cup | Most catches in an innings | ESPNcricinfo". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
14. "Pakistan tour of Bangladesh, Only T20I: Bangladesh v Pakistan at Dhaka, Apr 24, 2015". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
15. "Sarkar ton powers Bangladesh to 3–0". ESPN. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
16. "Soumya Sarkar graduates to the next level – Cricket – ESPNcricinfo". ESPN. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
17. "Pakistan tour of Bangladesh, 1st Test: Bangladesh v Pakistan at Khulna, Apr 28 – May 2, 2015". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
18. "Cricket Records | Records | Bangladesh | Test matches | Most catches in a match | ESPNcricinfo". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
19. "2nd Test: Sri Lanka v Bangladesh at Colombo (PSS), Mar 15–19, 2017 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPNcricinfo". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
20. "Five things Bangladesh got right in Colombo". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
21. "Cricket Records | Records | Bangladesh | Test matches | Most catches in an innings | ESPNcricinfo". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
22. Karthik Krishnaswamy. "New Zealand wrap up victory after defiant tons from Soumya Sarkar and Mahmudullah". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
23. Mohammad Isam. "'My aim was to survive' - Soumya Sarkar makes a statement, finally". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
24. "Bangladesh pick ODI newbie Abu Jayed for World Cup". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
25. "Shakib, Jayed, Hossain in Bangladesh squad for World Cup". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
26. "ICC World Cup 2019: Match 31, Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, Preview – Winless Afghans battle for pride against roaring Tigers". CricTracker. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
27. "Media Release : Bangladesh squad for Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2019 announced". Bangladesh Cricket Board. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
28. "Pakistan stun Bangladesh to get trophy in Emerging Asia Cup Final". BD Crictime. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
29. "Media Release : Bangladesh U23 Squad for 13th South Asian Game Announced". Bangladesh Cricket Board. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
30. "South Asian Games: Bangladesh secure gold in men's cricket". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
31. "Soumya Sarkar set to miss one-off Test, first ODI against Zimbabwe". Cricbuzz. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
32. একটা রেকর্ড গড়েই জিম্বাবুয়েকে হারাল বাংলাদেশ. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Retrieved 9 March 2020.
33. "Bangladesh Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
34. "Bowlers, Naim star in comfortable Bangladesh win". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
35. "All-round Soumya Sarkar show gives Bangladesh T20I series win in high-scoring contest". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
36. "No surprises as Bangladesh name Mahmudullah-led squad for T20 World Cup". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 9 September 2021.

External links

• Soumya Sarkar at ESPNcricinfo
• Soumya Sarkar on Facebook

 

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