Mustafizur fit for all three formats

The national selection panel on Tuesday announced the 16-member squad for the two-match Test series against the Lankans, naming Mustafizur as one of five pacemen. Regular Test opening batsman Imrul Kayes will however, miss out. The left-hander is still recovering from his thigh injury, thus putting the responsibility on Soumya Sarkar to open the innings alongside Tamim Iqbal. Mustafizur has been missing from the Test scene after picking up a shoulder injury during his tenure with Sussex in the English county circuit last year. The 21-year old underwent surgery and scripted a comeback to the national set-up when Bangladesh travelled to New Zealand in December-January last year. But he reported of discomfort and could only play four limited-over matches against the Kiwis. The team management was convinced Mustafizur was not 100 percent fit and rested him in Bangladesh’s maiden tour of India, making him play two matches in the Bangladesh Cricket League, the franchise-based four-day competition. Chief of the national selection panel, Minhajul Adebin Nannu informed that the pace bowler was tested in the two BCL games. Playing for South Zone, Mustafizur bowled 17 overs in two innings and picked up two wickets in the first game. In the second game, the pacer increased the intensity, bowling 31 overs and bagging two wickets. “Mustafizur is doing much better due to which we made him play two back-to-back matches in the BCL. We wanted to see how much he can deliver in these matches. His intent was notable from day two in the second game compared to the first,” Minhajul explained. “He is bowling well now and I think it will not be an issue for him to play in all three formats,” he added. In the meantime, Imrul has to wait and prove his fitness in two BCL rounds. Imrul hurt himself during the two-day warm-up game against India A in Hyderabad earlier this month and was ruled out of the one-off Test against the world's number one ranked side in five-dayers. “Imrul is an experienced player and it is unfortunate that his thigh injury reappeared in Hyderabad. We will observe him in the two rounds in BCL. His second game will end on March 1. He will then appear for fitness test after two days of rest. We can consider him for the second Test, depending on his fitness,” said Minhajul.