New Zealand vs Bangladesh: Visitors name Taskin Ahmed’s replacement

The Bangladesh cricket team is next scheduled to play New Zealand in three ODIs and as many Tests. Earlier, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) named the squads for the international fixtures. Even as the Test series starts on Thursday, February 28, the 50-overs matches will be played from Wednesday, February 13. However, the visitors have been dealt with a body blow of late.

Taskin Ahmed, who made a comeback into the national team after almost a year, was ruled out due to an ankle injury. The right-arm speedster played for the Sylhet Sixers in the sixth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and wielded magic with the ball in hand. Taskin is currently the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 22 scalps with best figures of 4/28.

Shafiul and Ebadat drafted in

In the meantime, the BCB has named fast bowlers Shafiul Islam and Ebadat Hossain as his replacement as per reports in Cricbuzz. Ebadat is Taskin’s teammate in the Sixers’ and he has been impressive as well in the BPL. The Moulvi Bazar-born played only four matches in the T20 extravaganza and picked up five wickets. His best figures of 4/17 came against Chittagong Vikings in Dhaka.

The brilliant spell also earned him the Player of the Match award. He would be delighted by the maiden national call-up and would want to don the national colours as well. Shafiul has also been impressive in the tournament. The pacer is currently playing for Mashrafe Mortaza-captained Rangpur Riders and has picked up 15 wickets from 12 matches with best figures of 3/31 against the Sixers.

Here are the updated squads

ODI

Masrafe Mortaza (c), Shakib Al Hasan (VC), Tamim Iqbal Khan, Litton Das, Soumya Sarker, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Mohammad Shaifuddin, Nayeem Hasan, Shafiul Islam

Test

Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mahmudullah (VC), Tamim Iqbal Khan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mohammed Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed Rahi, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Nayeem Hasan, Ebadat Hossain.

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