Under the Bangladeshi sun, an explosive young cricketer named Soumya Sarkar discovered his sporting destiny. Born in Satkhira in 1993, Sarkar rapidly blossomed into a left-handed batting and right-arm bowling dynamo, terrorizing attacks with aggressive stroke play. His all-round talents demanded national attention – Sarkar soon represented Bangladesh across all formats, unleashing his gifts on the global stage. There his reckless abandon brought record-shattering performances: the fastest T20I 50 by a Bangladeshi. The first Bangladeshi batsman with over 1,000 T20I runs. And ultimately, player of the series honors in 2021 against Zimbabwe after bludgeoning the helpless bowlers. From Satkhira obscurity to international superstardom, Soumya Sarkar embodies the meteoric rise of Bangladeshi cricket through sheer determination.
Soumya Sarkar Batting Career Stats
| Format | M | Inn | NO | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100 | 200 | 50 | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 16 | 30 | 0 | 831 | 149 | 27.7 | 1442 | 57.63 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 109 | 9 |
| ODI | 63 | 59 | 3 | 1768 | 127 | 31.57 | 1818 | 97.25 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 203 | 43 |
| T20I | 72 | 72 | 3 | 1212 | 68 | 17.57 | 990 | 122.42 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 119 | 46 |
Bowling Career Stats
| Format | M | Inn | B | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Econ | Avg | SR | 5W | 10W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 16 | 12 | 508 | 336 | 4 | 2/68 | 2/68 | 3.97 | 84.0 | 127.0 | 0 | 0 |
| ODI | 63 | 19 | 412 | 402 | 11 | 3/56 | 3/56 | 5.85 | 36.55 | 37.45 | 0 | 0 |
| T20I | 72 | 24 | 264 | 417 | 11 | 2/19 | 2/19 | 9.48 | 37.91 | 24.0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Information
Test debut vs Pakistan at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, Apr 28, 2015
Last Test vs West Indies at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Feb 11, 2021
ODI debut vs Zimbabwe at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dec 01, 2014
Last ODI vs New Zealand at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Sep 23, 2023
T20 debut vs Pakistan at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Apr 24, 2015
Last T20 vs Pakistan at Adelaide Oval, Nov 06, 2022
Biography: Early Years, Education, First Steps into Cricket
Soumya Sarkar, an esteemed cricketer from Bangladesh, was born on February 25, 1993, in the district of Satkhira, situated in the Khulna division of Bangladesh. His familial background is rooted in the Bengali Hindu community. His nomenclature initially included the name Soumya Shanto, but subsequently, ‘Shanto’ was omitted. His father, Kishori Mohan Sarkar, is engaged in business and politics. Sarkar’s upbringing in Satkhira was marked by familial ties and community engagement, where he developed a fondness for his mother’s culinary preparations and engaged in recreational cricket with his peers.
From his early years, Sarkar exhibited a predilection for sports, particularly cricket, which he regularly played in his local milieu. Although he initially aspired to emulate his father’s career in teaching, his innate cricketing prowess redirected his professional trajectory. His academic journey culminated with higher secondary education, post which he pursued cricket professionally, enrolling in a cricket academy. This decision was pivotal in shaping his future in sports.
Sarkar’s cricketing career is distinguished by his participation in two Under-19 World Cups (2010 and 2012), with the latter event catapulting him into the limelight, especially during a critical quarterfinal match against Australia. His cricketing role encompasses being a left-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler, and he is renowned for innovating the “Periscope Shot.” Remarkably, he is the sole batsman to achieve the feat of hitting two sixes in the initial over of a T20 World Cup match. Sarkar’s professional engagements have included playing for the Cumilla Warriors in the Bangladesh Premier League, the Khulna Division in the National Cricket League, and the Prime Bank Cricket Club in the Dhaka Premier Division.
Career Journey
Under the Bangladeshi sun, young Soumya Sarkar discovered cricketing greatness. His athletic gifts shone at 2010’s U-19 World Cup, highlighted by a ‘mankading’ of Australia’s Jimmy Peirson. Though just a teen, Sarkar’s skills demanded senior opportunities. He plunged into first-class cricket in 2010-11, forging a reputation for aggressive stroke play. In Bangladesh’s premier List A tournament in 2018-19, Sarkar achieved icon status. Representing Abahani Limited, he shattered records with a double century, the highest individual knock in Bangladeshi List A history. During his unbeaten 208, Sarkar also smashed 16 sixes - another national record. This propelled Abahani Limited to a 20th championship. Sarkar soon took the Bangladesh Premier League by storm. Batting pyrotechnics like his 88* for Cumilla Warriors captivated fans, while clever bowling yielded 12 wickets. After missing Bangladesh’s squad for the 2013 T20 World Cup, Sarkar finally debuted internationally in 2014. Quickly cementing his credentials, Sarkar etched his name into Bangladeshi cricket lore during the 2015 World Cup and 100th Test match. He equaled the fastest Test century record in 2019 and became Bangladesh’s fifth batsman with 1,000 T20I runs. Recently Sarkar inspired Bangladesh’s T20 squad, earning Player of the Series honors against Zimbabwe with blazing bat and ball. From teenage talent to record-setting superstar, Soumya Sarkar has electrified Bangladeshi cricket with aggressive skills honed since youth. With bat, ball and athleticism, he energizes the nation.
Family, Wife, Hobbies
Beyond Bangladesh’s pitches, Soumya Sarkar treasures simplicity in his personal life. Originally named Soumya Shanto, the Hindu-Bengali native of Satkhira later streamlined his name ahead of marrying girlfriend Priyonti in 2020. While details on potential siblings stay obscured, Sarkar’s parents seemingly shun limelight as well. For now, cricket remains his core focus over starting a family.
Sarkar inherited his abiding cricket passion from his playing brother, strengthened through youth immersion. He admires Bangladeshi icon Shakib Al Hasan along with luminaries Kumar Sangakkara, Yuvraj Singh and Brian Lara. The cover drive is his trademark; ODIs his favored cricket flavor. Such meticulous attention even extends to his equipment preferences and jersey number, originating from his academy days.
This deep connection sparked over 250-run school innings and three elite-level doubles. Some bowling highlights include once conquering feared batsman AB de Villiers along with the dream of playing at Lord’s. Off the pitch, the 1993-born Pisces prizes close connections in his private world, with cricket commanding his professional sphere. From role models to superstitions, the game Sarkar loves remains woven through both public achievements and personal details.
Conclusion
Through the ups and downs of a dramatic career, Soumya Sarkar has galvanized Bangladesh cricket with undying passion and skillful brilliance. His growth from cricket-adoring Satkhira youth to torchbearer of his country’s newfound success reflects Bangladesh’s ascendance in the cricketing world. Various records have fallen in Sarkar’s wake across formats, cementing his legacy. Off-field he maintains a private lifestyle, his core identity entwined with Bangladesh’s cricketing fabric. As Sarkar approaches the peak of his playing powers, Bangladesh continues riding the explosive energy of players like him towards new heights. Much like the nation he represents, Sarkar’s emergence heralds the dawn of a bold, dynamic era for Bangladeshi cricket.