15-man squad announced for SL ODIs
Drama regarding the vice-captaincy issue centering around Tamim Iqbal finally ended as the Bangladesh Cricket Board announced a 15-member squad for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka naming the southpaw deputy to skipper Mushfiqur Rahim. Tamim had stepped down from the post after Mashrafee bin Murtaza was appointed to lead the side in the just-concluded two-match Twenty20 international series against the Islanders. However, cricket’s governing body did not accept Tamim’s resignation.
The left-handed opener had said that he decided to quit from the post in order to concentrate on his batting ahead of a busy international schedule for the Tigers which includes the Asia Cup and ICC World T20.
BCB cricket operations committee chairman Akram Khan, though, told New Age on Saturday that the uncertainty regarding the issue was now gone after BCB president Nazmul Hasan spoke with the left-hander recently.
‘The BCB president asked me to appoint Tamim Iqbal as the vice-captain,’ said Akram adding that, ‘He [president] informed me that he had spoken with Tamim regarding the issue and sorted out everything.’
Meanwhile, Mushfiq returned to the ODI squad as captain after missing the T20 series due to a finger injury. Uncapped spinner Arafat Sunny also earned a call-up in place of veteran spinner Abdur Razzak.
Razzak is yet to recover from the injury that he sustained on his left hamstring during the second and final Test against Sri Lanka in Chittagong and was subsequently ruled out from the T20 series.
‘Razzak is injured so we included Sunny as we consider him to be the best possible option available,’ chief selector Faruk Ahmed told New Age on Saturday.
Faruk also justified the inclusions of all-rounder Naeem Islam and paceman Shafiul Islam.
‘Naeem was very much there in the ODI squad considering his performances in the New Zealand series. While Shafiul is doing well after recovering from an injury,’ added Faruk, referring to the three one-day internationals at home against the Kiwis in October-November last year.
Shafiul was ruled out of the one-day series against New Zealand after incurring an ankle injury on October 27. He was later replaced in the squad by pace bowler Al Amin Hossain.
All-rounder Ziaur Rahman, who was named in the ODI squad against the Kiwis, could not find a place in the squad for the ODIs against the Sri Lankans.
Naeem on the other hand played well in the series against the Kiwis as he scored 163 runs in three matches. The right-handed batsman had earlier replaced all-rounder Sakib al Hasan in the squad after Sakib was ruled out due to dengue fever.
Faruk went on to say that it was unlikely for Mushfiq to stand behind the stumps against the Lankans as the 25-year old was yet to recover fully.
‘Mushfiq’s batting is extremely crucial for us,’ said Faruk.
The 15-man squad did not also contain Sabbir Rahman, Mithun Ali and Farhad Reza, who all played some parts in the T20 series against Sri Lanka.
Squad
Mushfiqur Rahim (Captain), Tamim Iqbal (Vice-Captain), Anamul Haque, Shamsur Rahman, Mominul Haque, Sakib al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Mahmud Ullah, Sohag Gazi, Arafat Sunny, Mashrafee bin Murtaza, Rubel Hossain, Al Amin Hossain, Naeem Islam, Shafiul Islam.
-With New Age input
