Published: Jan 29, 2018, 10:00 AM (IST)
Edited: Jan 29, 2018, 10:40 AM (IST)
Bangladesh announced a 16-member squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka on Monday. Shakib Al Hasan will be unavailable for the first Test as he injured his little finger during the final of Tri-Series on Saturday against Sri Lanka. As a cover, Bangladesh have recalled Abdur Razzak. Razzak returns to the squad after span of three years. He has been in excellent form in the recent domestic season where he also became the first Bangladesh bowler to reach 500 First-Class wickets. He was the leading wicket-taker of the season, with 40 wickets from 9 matches as reported on ESPNcricinfo. Razzak’s Test numbers (23 wickets at 67.39) are modest, but since his last Test in February 2014, he has taken been the top wicket-taker in Bangladesh domestic First-Class cricket, with 244 wickets.
Mahmudullah will lead Bangladesh in absence of Shakib. This could have been Shakib’s first time as Bangladesh Test captain since 2011. However, that moment will have to wait.
The management have also included Sunzamul Islam, who has been his best during the same time frame as Razzaq’s, holding 224 wickets at 28.65. Tanbir Hayder has also been included in the squad.
The first Test will begin from January 31.
Bangladesh squad for first Test: Mahmudullah (c), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mosaddek Hossain, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Kamrul Islam, Mehidy Hassan, Rubel Hossain, Nayeem Hasan, Sunzamul Islam, Tanbir Hayder, Abdur Razzak.
