Dhaka: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced its 16-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series starting on August 21. Pakistan and Bangladesh have played six Test series so far, but Bangladesh has not won a single series yet. Out of 13 Test matches against Pakistan, Bangladesh has managed to draw only one.
The Bangladesh team will arrive in Lahore on August 13 and will train at the Gaddafi Stadium from August 14-16 before moving to Islamabad on August 17. Experienced all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has returned to the Test cricket team for the Test series against Pakistan.
Shakib last played Test cricket for Bangladesh in May. Bangladesh then hosted Sri Lanka for a two-match series. Since then, Shakib has been playing only T20 cricket, from the T20 World Cup to Major League Cricket in the USA and the Global T20 Canada League.
Apart from Shakib, experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim and fast bowler Taskin Ahmed have also returned to the Test team. Taskin will play only the second Test starting on August 30.
National Selection Panel Chairman Ghazi Ashraf Hussain said, “We have selected five fast bowlers keeping in mind the fact that Taskin Ahmed will play only the second Test. He has not bowled in Tests since June last year. That is why we have decided to include him in the A team for the four-day match against Pakistan A. This will make it easier for him to get into rhythm in red ball cricket.”
Bangladesh Test squad: Nazmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumar Das, Mehdi Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed and Syed Khaled Ahmed.
