DHAKA, CMC – Bangladesh will have to do without the services of star fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman for their upcoming tour of the Caribbean after he was left out of the 15-man squad for the Test series.
The 22-year-old left-arm pacer has struggled to recover from a toe injury he sustained in the recent IPL while playing for the Mumbai Indians and will miss the two Test matches in the Caribbean.
The injury also forced Rahman to miss the recent three-match T20I series against Afghanistan.
“Barring a miracle he is unlikely to be fit before the second Test, so we left him out from the squad,” Bangladesh chief selector Minhajul Abedin said while announcing the squad. In Mustafizur’s absence, right-arm pacer Abu Jayed has been handed his maiden Bangladesh Test call-up after previously appearing in three T20Is.
Ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who missed out on the Sri Lanka Test series with an injury, has made a return to the side and will take over the captaincy duties once again.
This is the visitors’ fourth bilateral tour of the West Indies. They have won two of the eight Tests played and won three ODIs, but have never won a T20I in the region.
Bangladesh will play two Tests, three ODIs and as many T20Is in their tour of the West Indies. The first Test at Antigua gets underway on July 4 with the team to depart for the Caribbean on June 23.
Two of those T20Is will be played under the lights at the Central Broward Regional Park (CBRP), Fort Lauderdale.
The West Indies have previously played four matches at the CBRP, winning three, while the other ended in a no-result.
“We are delighted to include the matches in Fort Lauderdale on the schedule for the Bangladesh tour,” said CWI CEO Johnny Grave.
“Both matches are scheduled for the weekend and will be played under the lights, so it’s a great opportunity for Windies fans in North America to see the team play against a very competitive Bangladesh side.”
BANGLADESH TEST SQUAD
Shakib Al Hasan (C), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Liton Das, Mominul Haque, Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Kamrul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Abu Jayed, Nazmul Hossain and Shafiul Islam.
