Focus is on winning the tournament, not just learning: Shohan

Opportunities to play in Australia don't come often for Bangladesh. Since the 2015 World Cup, the national team hasn't played there again. In total, Bangladesh have featured in only eight matches in the country, with the last bilateral series against Australia taking place 17 years ago.

Conditions in Australia are vastly different from those in Bangladesh, which means Bangladeshi cricketers rarely get the chance to adapt to them. However, while the national team isn't heading there this time, several players on the fringes of the national side will be playing in Australia for the second year in a row. Last year, the Bangladesh High Performance team finished runners-up in the Top End T20 cricket tournament.

This year, a Bangladesh 'A' team, led by Nurul Hasan Sohan, will compete in the seven-team tournament. The squad is set to leave the country in two groups, today and tomorrow. Before departure, Sohan attended a press conference where, unsurprisingly, he was asked whether the rare opportunity to play in Australia would be a valuable learning experience.

But Sohan had a different take. He responded bluntly, "I don't really believe in the idea of always being in a learning phase. Learning is part of life, of course—but since we're going to play in a tournament, I think the main goal should be to reach the final. Every player in our team, including the management, is aiming to win the trophy."

In other words, instead of focusing on 'learning', Sohan is placing his emphasis squarely on winning.

The tour will include not only T20s but also a four-day match, as Bangladesh are scheduled to play two Test matches in Australia next year. The red-ball fixture, against South Australia, is set for 28 August. As such, familiar faces from the Test squad—such as Nayeem Hasan and Hasan Mahmud—have been included in the squad.

For them, this could be a valuable platform for preparation. However, Sohan is currently focused on the T20 format. "Since we have Test matches next year, it's a great opportunity, especially for those who are likely to play. But for now, we're going into a major T20 tournament, so that's where my focus is. The four-day team hasn't travelled yet. Whoever plays in the Tests, this will be a big opportunity for them."