Mustafizur returns to Bangladesh squad for Sri Lanka tour

The Bangladesh team struggled during the one-off Test against India in Hyderabad. They were outdone in every department of the game by the No.1 Test team. There was a lack of game plan and overall a lack of fitness. The Bangladesh selection committee has looked into it and has axed out Shaiful Islam.

Bangladesh Cricket Boards chief selector Minhajul Abedin explained the decision saying, “Shafiul has been having trouble with his stomach ever since the India tour. We don’t know if it’s a muscle problem or what it is actually.”

Their star bowler Mustafizur Rahman returns to the squad. He was dearly missed by the tigers during the one-off Test. They lacked the skill in the bowling department as the Indian skipper eased to a double hundred without a scratch. There was another bowler who made it to the 16-man squad that will be touring Sri Lanka; Mohammad Hossain. Hossain impressed the selectors and was rewarded for it in place of Imrul Kayes, who misses out due to fitness concerns.

Mustafizur if included in the XI in the opening match of the tour will play his first Test in more than a year. There were always questions over his fitness. But the chief selector believes they are now the concerns of past. He thinks Rahman is fit to play in all formats of the game. He said: “We feel that he has improved a lot in his fitness levels and is fit enough to play in all three formats.”

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While Imrul Kayes who lost his place to Hossain will be looked upon by the selectors in the current Bangladesh Cricket League. If termed fit, he may make it to the squad in the second Test against the inform Lankans.

The 16-member squad for the Sri Lanka series:

Tamim Iqbal, Liton Kumar Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah Riyad, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (C/wk), Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mosaddek Hossain, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Subashis Roy and Rubel Hossain