Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com
The Bangladesh team management has called up uncapped batsman Shahadat Hossain Dipu and fast bowler Mushfik Hasan for the one-off Test against Afghanistan that scheduled to start at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on June 14.
The 21-year old Chittagong Division’s middle-order batsman Shahadat made his first-class debut in 2021 and scored 1,265 runs from 20 first-class games, with two hundreds and 10 fifties.
Mushfik, a 20-year-old fast bowler, took 49 wickets from 13 first-class matches, including three five-wicket hauls, after he burst onto the scene in the 2022 first-class season for Rangpur Division.
Apart from that, they were promising for Bangladesh ‘A’ in the three-match unofficial Test series against the touring West Indies ‘A.’
Mushfik claimed five wickets from two games of the series, while being economical.
At the same time, his teammate Shahadat, who played in two games of the same series, bagged 73 and 50 runs in the second match against their Caribbean counterparts.
Regarding the inclusion of the uncapped campaigners, Bangladesh national team chief selector Minhajul Abedin told New Age that they are confident that newcomers will repay the faith of the team management with quality performances, if they get into the playing eleven against the Afghans.
‘We have been nurturing them since their stint in the High Performance Unit. They have also proven their worth in the domestic circuit alongside the ‘A’ team. We are confident that they will perform brilliantly, if they get a chance in the playing eleven.’
Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batsman Liton Das will lead the Bangladesh team in the absence of regular skipper Shakib Al Hasan, who has been nursing a finger injury.
This is the first time Liton will be leading the Test side, while he has already captained the one-day international side in the three-match home one-day international series against India last year.
According to the BCB medical unit, Shakib will need at least six weeks to overcome his strain.
The unit also said Shakib may be available for the ODI and Twenty20 international series against the Afghans, starting on July 5 in Chattogram.
Previously, some of the country’s media outlets reported that Liton might refuse captaincy to focus on his batting, but he was named captain by the board nevertheless.
Meanwhile, the team management has returned Zakir Hasan to the 15-man squad that they named on Sunday ahead of the series.
Bangladesh’s leading pacer Taskin Ahmed, who was ruled out of the lone Test against the touring Ireland in April due to a side strain injury, was also named in the squad.
Zakir, who featured in two Tests, played his last against the touring India and made it into the team again after a short pause.
Opener Shadman Islam and young pacer Rejaur Rahman Raja have been axed from the side.
Shadman, who made his last appearance during South Africa tour back in March 2022, was overlooked due to his dismal performance in the format.
Meanwhile, the squad started their training at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Sunday ahead of the one-off Test match.
Squad
Liton Das (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Mushfik Hasan.
