Tigers take on Lanka in first T20 today

The first match of the Rocket two-match Twenty20I series between hosts Bangladesh and touring Sri Lanka will be held today (Thursday) at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium at Mirpur in the city, reports UNB.

The day-night basis match will kick off at 5 pm local time.

Mahmudullah Riyad will lead the Tigers in the absence of injured regular captain Shakib Al Hasan as the world famed all-rounder failed to recover sufficiently from his finger injury which he had sustained during the ODI series.

Uncapped left-arm spinner Nazmul Hossain Apu, who performed well in the domestic cricket, particularly the BPL throughout the last three seasons, has been called up to the squad to replace Shakib Al Hasan.

Bangladesh Cricket Board also included top order batsman Mohammad Mithun in the dying moment on Wednesday as reliable opening batsman Tamim Iqbal and former Bangladesh Test captain Mushfiqur Rahim were suffering from light injuries.

Meanwhile, addressing the pressmen, Bangladesh stand-in captain Mahmudullah expressed his optimism about them, saying, "We're still waiting to form the final squad with them and I am hopeful they will play tomorrow (Thursday)."

Replying to a query, Tamim said he is also optimistic about playing the first T20I against the Lankans.

The 2nd and last match of the two-match T20I series will be held on Sunday (February 18) at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

Earlier on Saturday, the BCB announced a 15-member Tigers' squad to play the first T20 International including five uncapped cricketers - Afif Hossain, Mehedi Hasan, Ariful Hoque, Zakir Hasan and Abu Jahed.

Mominul Haque, Imrul Kayes, Liton Kumar Das, Nasir Hossain, Mehedy Hassan Miraz, Shafiul Islam and Taskin Ahmed were dropped from the previous squad announced in October 2017 for a two-match overseas series against South Africa.

On the other hand, Kusal Perera has been ruled out of the T20I against Bangladesh and has been replaced by Kusal Mendis. Perera had suffered a side strain while batting in Sri Lanka's third ODI of the tri-nation series that preceded the Tests, and had returned home for treatment. Although he was named in the T20 squad, he has not traveled with the team to Bangladesh.

Bangladesh squad for the first T20: Mahmudullah (Captain), Tamim Iqbal Khan, Soumya Sarker, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Abu Haider Rony, Abu Jahed Rahi, Ariful Haque, Mehedi Hasan, Zakir Hasan, Afif Hossain and Nazmul Hossain Apu and Mohammad Mithun.