Hot on the heels of Sri Lanka’s 3-0 whitewash of the Bangladesh cricket team in Mirpur yesterday, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 15-member squad for the Asia Cup, due to start in Dhaka from February 25.
The big name missing from the squad is injured opener Tamim Iqbal, who was the Tigers’ most successful batsman in the last edition in 2012 — also held in Dhaka — with half-centuries in each of the four matches. All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who was on Friday handed a 3-match ban for his offensive gesture directed at the live cameras during the second ODI against Sri Lanka, was also in the squad but will miss the first two matches because of the ban.
“We will not be getting Tamim Iqbal in the Asia Cup. He has not recovered from an injury and it may take another week or so for him to return. Under the circumstances our priority is to have him fully fit for the ICC World Twenty20 and he will continue his rehab,” said national chief selector Faruque Ahmed about Tamim. After the series loss against Sri Lanka yesterday, captain Mushfiqur Rahim had said that they will try to wait until the last minute to take a call on Tamim, but the Tamim-less squad was announced within a half hour of that remark.
Also missing is former national vice-captain Mahmudullah Riyad, who has endured a torrid series against Sri Lanka. In his absence recalled hard-hitting all-rounder Ziaur Rahman will, according to the chief selector, slot in at number seven in the batting order.
SQUAD
Mushfiqur Rahim (Captain), Anamul Haque, Imrul Kayes, Shamsur Rahman, Naeem Islam, Mominul Hoque, Nasir Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Ziaur Rahman, Abdur Razzak, Shohag Gazi, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Rubel Hossain, Al Amin Hossain, Shakib Al Hasan
