Image Credit- AFP
The Bangladesh Test team has welcomed back Taskin Ahmed and Mushfiqur Rahim for the two-match series against Pakistan that begins later this month. Shahadat Hossain, a batter, was not included in the team that last faced Sri Lanka in March.
Due to a thumb injury, Mushfiqur was unable to play in the Sri Lankan Tests, and Taskin had to take a hiatus from red-ball cricket to tend to his shoulder issue. Taskin will play the second four-day match for Bangladesh A on August 20, but he will only be available for the second Test in Karachi, which starts on August 30.
Shakib Al Hasan, a senior all-rounder, is also included in the team after declaring himself open for selection last month. The spotlight will be on Shakib, who was removed from parliament on August 5th when the Awami League-led administration collapsed.
Accompanying Bangladesh A side to Pakistan on Saturday were six members of the Test squad. Among them are Mominul and Mushfiqur, who will participate in the first four-day match in Islamabad starting on August 13.
“The emphasis was on picking our best players for this version,” chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain said. “This is a well-balanced squad. The likes of Mushfiqur (Rahim), Mominul (Haque) and Shakib (Al Hasan) have played 216 matches combined and there is no substitute for that kind of experience. Taijul (Islam) and Miraz (Mehidy Hasan) have been leading the spin department for a long time and have over 350 wickets between them. We also expect Shanto (Najmul Hossain), Litton ( Das) and the other batsmen to step up because to be competitive against Pakistan, we will need a team effort.”
Taskin’s last Test match was against New Zealand in January. Although Taskin participated in the T20 World Cup and the Lanka Premier League, Ashraf stated that Bangladesh was eager to ease him back into the lengthier format.
“We have selected five pacers mindful of the fact that Taskin Ahmed will only play the second Test. He hasn’t bowled in a Test since June last year and we have decided to include him in the A Team for the second four-dayer against Pakistan A to get him into the rhythm for longer version matches.
“A couple of the pacers may join the A-team for the one-day matches, therefore we needed backups. Our attack has variety with bowlers who can bowl fast and also swing the ball and I am looking forward to seeing them perform against world-class batsmen.”