Uncapped Nayeem in Bangladesh squad for Sri Lanka Test

The BCB Friday announced the Bangladesh squad for the first of two Test matches at home against Sri Lanka. Batsmen Soumya Sarkar and Sabbir Rahman and pacers Taskin Ahmed, Shafiul Islam and Subashish Roy were dropped from the previous squad against South Africa. There were call ups for paceman Kamrul Islam Rabbi and youngsters Mosaddek Hossain and Nayeem Hasan. Captain Shakib al Hasan has been included in the squad after taking a break during the South Africa tour. “We have announced the squad considering our home condition. And the performance in the last South Africa series was also evaluated. Considering all the facts we concentrated on our spin department. We have included Nayeem from the U-19 team. Also, we have given chance to Kamrul because he has the ability to swing the older ball. Mosaddek missed the South Africa series due to eye infection. Now he has recovered from it and was thus selected in the squad,” said chief national selector Minhajul Abedin Nannu to the media.

Bangladesh Squad for the First Test against Sri Lanka starting on 31 January. pic.twitter.com/9GiOkNy3NR

— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) January 26, 2018

The surprise call-up in the squad is Nayeem, who is currently playing in the U-19 World Cup. Bangladesh lost to India in the quarter-final in Queenstown Friday where Nayeem took two wickets in his quota of 10 overs conceding 36 runs. He scored 11 with the bat. Minhajul believes Nayeem can shine in the series, just like youngster Mehedi Hasan Miraz performed against England in 2016. “We gave debut to Miraz against England in such a way. Nayeem is in the U-19 squad. He performed well in the Emerging Cup. He also bowled well [Friday] in the U-19 World Cup. We have planned to include an extra spinner in the squad. So he has been included,” Minhajul said. Nayeem made his first-class debut last year in January and has gone on to play four matches, taking nine wickets. The first Test gets underway Wednesday in Chittagong's Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Cricket Stadium.SquadShakib al Hasan (C), Mahmudullah (VC), Mushfiqur Rahim, Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mominul Haque, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Taijul Islam, Tamim Iqbal, Mosaddek Hossain, Nayeem Hasan and Kamrul Islam Rabbi