Batsman Nazmul Hossain Shanto and all-rounder Fazley Mahmud Rabbi are the two players who missed out as the BCB announced a 16-member squad Sunday for the three-match ODI series against the West Indies.
Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal and all-rounder Shakib al Hasan has returned to the fold after recovering from injury, having missed the previous series against Zimbabwe.
Both Shanto and Fazley were part of Bangladesh’s ODI squad against Zimbabwe in the three-game home series in October.
The 31-year old Fazley had come into the squad in place of the injured Shakib.
He played the first two matches of the series, but failed to impress, scoring ducks in both the games.
Shanto had to sit out all the three matches against Zimbabwe.
Tamim starts full-fledged practice https://t.co/vhdcRYrbNz#BCB #TIGERS #BANGLADESH #CRICKET #BANGLADESHCRICKET #TAMIM #MASHRAFE #TAMIMIQBAL #MASHRAFEBINMORTAZA #MASHRAFEMORTAZA
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) December 1, 2018
The last time the left-handed batsman played an ODI was in September during the Asia Cup this year in the UAE, against Afghanistan, having made his debut two matches earlier in the tournament.
Bangladesh chief selector Minhajul Abedin was straightforward in his explanation of the changes made.
“We have two of the senior members in Shakib and Tamim coming into the squad. That is why Shanto and Rabbi missed their places. Rabbi had come in to the side in place of Shakib,” said Minhajul to Dhaka Tribune Sunday.
Through the ODI series against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh started their preparations for the World Cup in 2019.
Minhajul shed light on the matter and said the Bangladesh think-tank is trying to establish a squad for the world event considering this ODI squad as the core.
@BCBtigers ODI captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza will lead the BCB XI in the lone one-day practice match against the West Indies.https://t.co/8YRLPMJqu3#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #BANGLADESH #CRICKET #BANGLADESHCRICKET #TAMIM #MASHRAFE #TAMIMIQBAL #MASHRAFEBINMORTAZA #MASHRAFEMORTAZA
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) December 1, 2018
“We are trying to establish the players in this squad as the core for the World Cup. We have to play lots of series’ ahead of the World Cup and these will help us develop the final squad,” said Minhajul.
Shakib made a comeback to the national fold through the two-match Test series against the West Indies.
Led by Shakib – who, according to media reports, feared missing the World Cup in May next year due to a long-standing finger injury - Bangladesh whitewashed the tourist with a record win in the second and final Test of the series Sunday.
For Tamim, the recovery has been a long process.
The left-handed batsman had aimed to make a comeback through the Test series against the Windies, having recovered from a fractured index finger during the Asia Cup.
However, a side-strain picked up during a practice session denied Tamim from a comeback in the white outfit.
Tamim has been named a member of the BCB XI for the lone one-day tour match against the Caribbean side to be played Thursday at BKSP.
Since their inception in the Test arena spin has been the main weapon for the @BCBtigers but the reliance on the slow bowlers went to an extreme as the Tigers decided to field a playing XI without any seamer in the 2nd Test against the @windiescrickethttps://t.co/DdQ8SLanwe#BCB
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) November 30, 2018
Bangladesh and the West Indies will lock horns in the first ODI Sunday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.
The second game will be played at the same venue on December 11 while the third and final ODI will be played at Sylhet International Stadium on December 14.
Squad
Mashrafe bin Mortaza (C), Liton Das, Imrul Kayes, Tamim Iqbal, Shakib al Hasan Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Ariful Haque, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Nazmul Islam Apu, Rubel Hossain, Abu Haider Rony, Saifuddin and Soumya Sarkar
