Tigers' first batch start training in Sydney

Bangladesh cricket team on Sunday started training at Blacktown International Sports Park in Sydney, Australia ahead of their tour of New Zealand. National cricketers Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Subashish Roy, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Ebadat Hossain, Mahmudullah and Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury all departed for Australia last Thursday night. Later, Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mosaddek Hossain, Mominul Haque, Nurul Hasan Sohan and Tanvir Haider flew off last Saturday while Shakib al Hasan departed on Sunday night. Rubel and Mehedi Maruf’s departure were delayed due to visa complications. Bangladesh will play a one-day match against Sydney Thunder and a Twenty20 game against Sydney Sixers during their 10-day conditioning camp down under. The Sixers will meet the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI this Wednesday at North Sydney Oval, with the fixture against the Thunder to be staged two days later at Spotless Stadium. Bangladesh will play three ODIs, three T20Is and two Tests against the Kiwis. The ODIs will be held on December 26, 29 and 31 while the T20Is will take place on January 3, 6 and 8. The first Test will start from January 12 and the second from January 20. BCB announced the 22-man squad for the preparation camp in the first week of November. Pace bowling duo Mohammad Shahid and Shafiul Islam got injured while playing for Dhaka Dynamites and Khulna Titans respectively in the just-concluded fourth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League T20 2016-17 season. Later, Shahid and Shafiul were replaced by Rubel and Kamrul. Opening batsman Maruf was also included in the squad for the preparation campSquadTamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah, Shakib al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Mosaddek Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Shuvagata Hom, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Taijul Islam, Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shubashish Roy, Ebadat Hossain, Tanvir Haider and Mehedi MarufStandbyShahriar Nafees, Abdul Mazid, Liton Kumar Das, Mosharraf Hossain, Al Amin Hossain, Alauddin Babu and Nasir Hossain