Sports Desk: Ace allrounder Shakib Al Hasan returned to
Bangladesh T20 squad after almost one year as the selectors included him in
the final two matches against Zimbabwe.
Shakib’s last appearance was a Player-of-the-Match performance against
Afghanistan in Sylhet in July 2023. He was the captain of the team that time
but an eye condition and a finger injury restricted his appearances after the
ODI World Cup in October-November 2023.
Najmul Hossain Shanto has replaced him as captain in all formats this year.
Bangladesh had already clinched the five-match T20 series against Zimbabwe
after taking an unassailable 3-0 lead. The last two matches will be held at
Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on May 10 and 12
respectively.
Shakib was rested from the first three matches, which were held in
Chattogram. He, however, played three matches in Dhaka Premier League (DPL)
to regain his match fitness. Shakib’s performance with the bat and bowl in
those three DPL matches was tremendous. He hit his first century in DPL and
in doing so ended his five-year long century draught in professional cricket.
“Shakib was in our plan for the last two T20 matches. We decided to give
Shakib some game time by playing International cricket ahead of the T20 World
Cup,” selector Abdur Razzak said.
“He played three DPL matches after spending holiday with his family. He is
now ready to play the International Cricket.”
Alongside Shakib, pacer Mustafizur Rahman was also rested from the first
three T20i against Zimbabwe. Mustafizur who has been in form of his life in
the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Chennai Super Kings returned to the squad
for last two matches.
“We follow the same rule in Mustafizur’s case also. He came from IPL and so
we wanted him to take rest. The question was whether he will take the rest in
the first three matches or for the last two matches. He decided to take rest
from the first three matches,” Razzak added.
To accommodate Shakib and Mustafizur in the team, Afif Hossain and Parvez
Hossain Emon were dropped. Both of the players couldn’t make room in the
first XI for any of the three matches.
“Both– Afif and Emon– are in our plan still. It is not possible to give all
players exposure at the same time. But they are not out of consideration,”
Razzak clarified.
Meanwhile, pacer Shoriful Islam was given rest to manage his workload.
Shoriful, who has been playing cricket in all three formats of Bangladesh
consistently for the last two years, was off colour in the first two matches
against Zimbabwe. He didn’t play the third match and now the team management
decided him to rest from the reminder of the series.
SQUAD:
Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Liton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al
Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad
Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Soumya Sarkar,
Tanvir Islam and Mohammad Saifuddin.
