Experienced Mushfiqur Rahim has been rested as Bangladesh Cricket Board announced a 16-member squad for the three-match T20I series against Pakistan.
To replace out-of-form Mushfiqur the BCB has called young Akbar Ali, the leader of Bangladesh’s U-19 World Cup victory last year in the squad announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Along with Mushfiqur, Soumya Sarkar and Liton Das – all of them from the T20 World Cup team _ have also been axed from the squad with the latter two being out of the set-up due to their lean show in recent matches.
Right-arm pacer Rubel Hossain is also out of the T20I side.
Shakib Al Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin are unavailable due to injuries.
A total of six players who were Bangladesh’s part in the T20 World Cup have been omitted while four uncapped players— Saif Hassan, Yasir Ali, Shohidul Islam and Akbar Ali– have been included in the national team.
Among the new faces, Saif Hassan has played in Tests, but the others are yet to don the national team jersey in any format of the game.
The three-match T20I series will take place on November 19, 20 and 22 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Around 50 per cent of spectators of the total capacity of the Sher-e-Bangla will be allowed to enjoy the game in person at the stadium. However, the BCB is yet to announce the details about ticket sale.
After the T20 series, both the teams will take on each other in two-match Test series starting from November 26 in Chattogram, with the second Test to be played in Dhaka from December 4.
It is going to be the first international cricket event for Bangladesh after the disastrous T20 World Cup campaign in Oman and UAE where Bangladesh lost six out of eight matches they played.
Bangladesh squad for Pakistan T20Is: Mohammad Naeem, Saif Hasan, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Yasir Ali Rabbi, Mahmudullah Riyad (captain), Nurul Hasan Sohan (wicketeeper), Afif Hossain, Shamim Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Aminul Islam Biplob, Mohammad Shohidul Islam and Akbar Ali (wicketkeeper).
Source: United News of Bangladesh