Report: Bangladesh call Nurul Hasan Sohan as cover for injured Mushfiqur Rahim

Bangladesh wicket-keeper-batter Nurul Hasan Sohan was originally dropped from the country’s T20 international squad for the upcoming two-match series against Afghanistan at home after his less than impressive show with the bat. The 28-year-old played in 21 of Bangladesh’s last 24 T20 international matches played since July.

Experienced keepers Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das were brought back into the squad after being dropped for the home series against Pakistan last November. But as luck had it, Sohan was recalled into the side for the Afghanistan series starting on Thursday, March 3, after Rahim injured his right thumb during training at Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on Wednesday, March 2.

According to BDCricTime, Rahim’s injury is not too serious and the home team management will wait on his recovery till the last moment. However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board was quick to rope in a possible replacement in case Rahim, who is waiting to play his 100th T20 international, fails to make it to the playing XI in the first match.

But the situation has become trickier since Rahim, 34, told the team management last year about his reluctance to keep wickets in the T20 internationals “any more”. In that case, Sohan could end up as the first-choice keeper. Bangladesh will also have to take a call over the matter in the run-up to the T20 World Cup scheduled in Australia later this year.

Bangladesh have lost their last eight T20 internationals and the last time they beat a Test-playing nation in the format was in September last year. Their latest victories in the shortest format have come against low-ranked teams like Oman and Papua New Guinea in the T20 World Cup last year and the team has struggled with their batting, especially in the powerplay phase.

The Tigers, however, defeated Afghanistan 2-1 in the one-day international series, thanks to a hard-earned win in the first match and Mahmudullah’s side will look to gather confidence from that win to pocket the T20 international series.