Shakib back in squad for Lanka Test

Shadman, Jayed dropped

FE Team | Published: April 24, 2022 23:41:01

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan returned to the national side with selectors naming a 16-man squad Sunday for the first Test of two-match series against Sri Lanka next month, report agencies.
Shakib was part of Bangladesh's one-day international squad during the recent tour of South Africa, with a 2-1 victory giving the visitors their first ever series win in that country.
He missed the Test series against the Proteas because of a family emergency.
The 35-year-old, who is also Bangladesh's leading wicket-taker in Test cricket, returned to action this week with the domestic Dhaka Premier League.
Opening batsman Shadman Islam, who made just nine runs in his sole South Africa Test, made the way for Shakib.
The home side also left out fast bowler Taskin Ahmed for injury and added uncapped pacer Rejaur Rahman.
"Taskin has an injury problem. He can come to the squad for the second Test provided he recovers sufficiently," chief selector Minhajul Abedin told AFP.
Shoriful Islam was also included in the side, subject to a fitness test that Minhajul was optimistic the pace bowler would pass.
"He (Shoriful) will have his surgery (for the non-cricketing injury) and it will take eight to 10 days to recover. We are expecting to send him on 25 or 26 and even if he does the operation after two days we are expecting him to be fit by May 10 and if that is the case and he pass the fitness Test he will be in the squad for the Sri Lanka series and that is the reason we have kept him as available subject to injury," said BCB cricket operation chairman Jalal Yunus.
"Shoriful had ankle injury in South Africa and he recovered from it," he said.
"We have kept Abu Jayed in the practice game. He is lacking a bit of pace and so we have not included for the Test series but we are hopeful that he will make a comeback sooner than later by removing all his short comings," said BCB chief selector Minhajul Abedin. "Shadman is dropped largely due to his form," he added.
On the day that Bangladesh announced their squad, two of their stalwarts - Mehidy Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim - suffered small injuries while playing in the Dhaka Premier League.
Mushfiqur twisted his left ankle while fielding in the deep, while Mehidy hurt his index finger while completing a catch - of Tamim Iqbal. Mushfiqur was given ice therapy and Mehidy was taken to the nearby hospital.
But chief selector Minhajul Abedin said that their injuries are not serious.
"[Mushfiqur and Mehidy's injuries] is nothing serious, they will be in the Test side," Abedin said. "Shadman will play the practice match (against Sri Lanka). Raja was in the Test side once, so he comes back because we have injury concerns in the pace department."
If Shoriful is fit, he is likely to share the new ball with Khaled Ahmed, who was impressive in the series against South Africa.
The Sri Lanka cricket team will arrive in Bangladesh on May 08 for a two-match series.
The touring team will have a two-day practice game at BKSP on 10-11. BCB officials told Cricbuzz that they have changed the venue of the practice game from Chattogram to Dhaka as per the request of the visitors. The first Test at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chattogram starts on 15 May while the second Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) in Dhaka is from on May 23.
This series is part of the ongoing ICC Test Championship. Bangladesh played six matches so far and won only one in New Zealand- their first in New Zealand as well.
Bangladesh squad for first Test: Mominul Haque (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Yasir Ali, Taijul Islam, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Ebadot Hossain, Khaled Ahmed, Nurul Hasan, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Shohidul Islam, Shoriful Islam (subject to fitness)