Bangladesh announce 16-member squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has added pacer Shoriful Islam and Shakib Al Hasan to their 16-member squad for the first Test match of the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. It may be noted that BCB had earlier stated that Islam won’t be available for the first Test owing to an injury he coped with during the South Africa series, but the board is now confident about the pace bowler recovering from injury.

Meanwhile, veteran Shakib Al Hasan, who missed the Test matches in South Africa and returned home after the ODIs, due to some family reasons is expected to play in the longest format of the game after a long haul. The left-handed batter missed the Test series in South Africa and New Zealand.

The selectors dropped pacer Abu Jayed Rahi and batter Shadman Islam from the team. Meanwhile, uncapped pacer Rejaur Rahman has been named in the side. In a similar development, senior players including Mehidy Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim suffered small injuries while participating in the Dhaka Premier League.

The senior batter has twisted his left ankle while fielding in the deep, while Mehidy hurt his index finger while completing a catch. Rahim was given ice therapy and Mehidy was taken to the nearby hospital. However, both are expected to be fit on time.

We are expecting him to be fit by May 10: BCB on Shoriful

“He (Shoriful) will have his surgery (for the non-cricketing injury) and it will take eight to 10 days to recover. We are expecting to send him on 25 or 26 and even if he does the operation after two days we are expecting him to be fit by May 10 if that is the case and he passes the fitness Test he will be in the squad for the Sri Lanka series and that is the reason we have kept him as available subject to injury,” BCB cricket operation chairman Jalal Yunus told Cricbuzz.

To note, Bangladesh will take on the visitors in a two-match Test series starting on May 15. While the first match will be played at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram, the second Test will start on May 23 and will be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka.