Bangladesh ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was given rest for the three-match series against Sri Lanka, slated to begin later this month as Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 14-member squad at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Liton Das was also granted leave while pacer Abu Jayed Rahi could not find his place for the Sri Lanka ODI tour. Taijul Islam and Anamul Haque Bijoy filled the two void spots, on the back of their superb form, reports BSS.
“It’s [Sri Lanka tour] a very important series for us. We didn’t change much apart from two. As Shakib and Liton have opted out from the Sri Lanka ODI tour for their personal reasons, we had to fill up those spots with Taijul and Bijoy,” Chief selector Minhajul Abedin Nannu said here today.
Taijul, Bijoy return as Shakib rested for SL tour
“We needed a left-arm spinner, that’s why Taijul was drafted in while Bijoy came in as the replacement of Liton Das.”
The three-match ODI series marked the return of Taijul Islam in the 50-over format after almost two years. He played his last ODI against Afghanistan in September 2016.
Bijoy played his last ODI against West Indies in 2018 in which he went through a series of low scores.
“Both the players have been doing well in the domestic circuit. They also have performed well with A team too,” Nannu clarified the reason behind including the duo in Sri Lanka bound squad.
Taijul, considered as Test material, who played just four ODIs since his debut in 2014 is set to join the team in Sri Lanka straight from India, where he is playing for the BCB XI at the Dr (Capt) K Thimmappaiah Memorial Cricket Tournament.
He claimed 8-89 in a drawn four-day match against Vidarbha Cricket Association. Bijoy with 37 ODIs under his belt also scored an unbeaten 121 in the first innings of that match.
Yasir Ali Rabbi who was in the squad in Ireland tri-nation tournament that was held just before the World Cup but didn’t get any opportunity to any match in that tour.
But Nannu said: “We have a settled middle order. Therefore he (Yasir) is kept stand by again. Since Liton is not there, Bijoy is included.”
Shakib who was in tremendous form in the recent World Cup, scoring 606 runs with 11 wickets, earlier requested BCB not to consider him for the series, slating to be held from July 26 – 31 in Colombo.
BCB granted his plea as he is supposed to perform the ‘Holy Hajj’. Liton is expected to get married on July 28, a reason for which he wasn’t considered, while Jayed is recently included in the BCB A setup after completing his World Cup journey without getting any opportunity to play.
There was however injury concern over captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, senior players Mahmudullah Riyad and Mushfiqur Rahim but they are dimmed fit to play and included into the squad.
Nannu said the players would have to give a fitness test tomorrow (Wednesday) but at the same time revealed that the physio gave positive nod about them.
“There was no critical issue according to the fitness report that we got from the physio. However, they all will give a fitness test tomorrow and the matter will be clear.”
Bangladesh team : Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mohammad Mithun, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Sabbir Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Taijul Islam.
