Bangladesh will go into the first Test against Zimbabwe in Harare on Wednesday without opener Tamim Iqbal and with a half-fit Sakib al Hasan, as anticipated by
the team management prior to their departure.
The Tigers were hoping against hope for Tamim to regain his full fitness after he injured his finger during the recently concluded Sri Lanka tour. Sakib also returned to the side after he recovered from a surgery, which forced him to skip the Sri Lanka tour.
They were included in the side despite a doubt over their full fitness. Chief selector Akram Khan was always sceptical about Tamim’s chances of playing in the first Test while Sakib was also included only as a batsman.
However, there is a remote chance that they will be recovering faster, which would have given the side some added options in the crucial first Test.
‘Team manager Tanjeeb Ahsan Saad confirmed this was not going to happen as none of them could recover from their injuries.
‘Sakib cannot bowl in the first Test match, you can be rest assured,’ Saad told New Age over phone from Zimbabwe.
‘You can also write Tamim is ruled out of the first Test. Everyone else is practising and all are fit till now,’ he added.
Sakib, who claimed 102 wickets in 28 Tests, had picked up four wickets in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe.
Bangladesh lost by 130 runs at Harare in 2011 and are now desperate to turn their fortune. In the absence of Sakib, left-arm spinner Enamul Haque is most likely to partner off-spinner Sohag Gazi in the spin bowling department with Shahadat Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sajidul Islam and Robiul Islam vying for a slot in the pace bowling department.
Shahriar Nafees and Jahirul Islam are expected to open the batting for Tigers in the absence of Tamim and Anamul Haque, who skipped the tour for his HSC examination.
It is not, however, clear who will make way for Sakib, the highest-ranked batsman from either side in the series. Vice-captain Mahmudullah could face the chop having fared poorly in Sri Lanka where he scored just eight runs in three innings.
The second Test will begin at the same venue on April 25.
-with New Age input
