Around a year back, Javed Omar was struggling to break into the Bangladesh one-day team. In fact, after a bad start to the Zimbabwe tour in July 2006, he was dropped from the ODI team and missed quite a few of the country's matches. It was only a good performance against Zimbabwe 'A' that helped him secure a World Cup berth.
Now, at 30, just when people were questioning his inclusion in the one-day team, he answered his critics with a solid half-century that guided Bangladesh to a healthy total of 250 for 7 in 47 overs in the first one-dayer against India in Mirpur on Thursday.
Though Bangladesh lost the match by five wickets, Omar still drew lot of praise for his gutsy knock.
"The age doesn't matter; it is the runs that count. If you keep getting them, no youngster can push you out of the team. Mohammed Rafique is even older than me, but he is getting wickets and no one can complain," he said at the Sher-e-Bangla National stadium in Mirpur on Friday, on the eve of the second one-dayer.
For his conservative style of batting, the right-hander has always been labelled a Test batsman. But that does not bother him a bit.
"In my 12-year career I have been in and out of the one-day side, but I don't feel whether I am a Test player or a one-day player. Whenever I get chance my job is to get runs and do what the team and the management wants. I do not bother about what the crowd wants," he said.
Omar said his opening partner Tamim Iqbal's attacking batting at the other end helps ease off some of the pressure and he can concentrate on playing the anchor role.
"Our team's plan is that for the first ten overs we do not want to give any wickets. I always tell him to go for it because I am going to play the anchor's role. I tell him to go for shots and I play my natural blocking game. The plan is that one of the top six batsmen should play all the way to the last. But if any of us gets the [loose] ball it has to be put away. Tamim will go for his shots and I will play my game," he said.
Omar believes that Bangladesh's recent surge in international cricket is due to playing more cricket at the top level. He also feels good training facilities have helped in development of the team.
"Now we are playing lot more cricket and getting better facilities like indoor nets and all. We are mentally stronger now. Players like Saqibul Hasan have toured Australia with the Bangladesh Under-19 team and are they better prepared for international cricket now," he said.
He also paid tribute to outgoing coach Dav Whatmore, who will quit at the end of the series.
"He talks less but has done a wonderful job in fine-tuning Bangladesh cricket," he said.
