DHAKA: Bangladesh will rest right-handed batter, Mushfiqur Rahim, as the country’s cricket board on Tuesday announced 16-member squad for three-match T20 international series against Pakistan starting in Dhaka on Friday.
Mushfiq was under fire for his below-par performance in the recent T20 World Cup, having scored just one half-century in eight matches. Bangladesh had a dismal tournament, where they lost to Scotland in qualifiers and failed to win a single game in the Super-12.
According to a statement issued by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), the country’;s selectors have made at least six changes to the squad for the upcoming series, with all-rounders Shakib Al Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin ruled out due to injury.
Batsmen Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar have been dropped for the series against the World Cup semi-finalists, as well as fast bowler Rubel Hossain. Those recalled to the side include batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto and leg spinner Aminul Islam Biplob.
There were also maiden T20 call-ups for Under-19 World Cup-winning captain Akbar Ali — a wicketkeeper — batsmen Saif Hassan and Yasir Ali Chowdhury, and pace bowler Shohidul Islam. Mahmudullah Riyad was retained as captain despite the poor World Cup performance.
The series will feature three T20 and two Test matches. Pakistan will play three T20Is on November 19, 20, and 22. They will also play two Tests, which will be played from November 26-30 and December 4-8 in Chittagong and Dhaka respectively.
The matches will be day-night games, with fans returning to the gallery in Bangladesh for the first time since March 2020.
Squad:
Mahmudullah Riyad (captain), Mohammad Naim, Najmul Hossain, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahedi Hasan, Aminul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Shamim Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Saif Hassan, Yasir Ali, Shohidul Islam, Akbar Ali.
