(AFP Photo)
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has unveiled a 16-player squad for their upcoming Test series against Pakistan, set to take place later this month. Najmul Hossain Shanto will lead the team, with Mushfiqur Rahim and Taskin Ahmed making a return for this series, which will be hosted in Pakistan.
The Test series will run from August 21 to September 3, starting with the first match at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium and continuing with the second Test at National Stadium in Karachi on August 30. This series is part of the ongoing 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
Mushfiqur Rahim is back in the Bangladesh Test squad.
Mushfiqur Rahim missed the Sri Lanka Tests due to a thumb injury, but he is set to return for the series against Pakistan. Taskin Ahmed will join the Test squad for the second and final Test, after participating in a four-day match with the Bangladesh A team starting August 20. Shakib Al Hasan is also back in the squad after confirming his availability.
On Saturday, six players from the Test squad, including Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque, arrived in Pakistan to link up with the Bangladesh A team. They will compete in the first four-day game in Islamabad, beginning August 13. The A team’s schedule includes two four-day matches and three one-day games.
Bangladesh Test squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed
This Is A Well-Balanced Squad – Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain
Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain mentioned that they have assembled a well-rounded squad for the upcoming series. He highlighted the valuable experience that Mushfiqur Rahim, Mominul Haque, and Shakib Al Hasan add to the team.
“The emphasis was on picking our best players for this version. This is a well-balanced squad. The likes of Mushfiqur (Rahim), Mominul (Haque) and Shakib (Al Hasan) have played 216 matches combined and there is no substitute for that kind of experience,” Hossain said.
“Taijul (Islam) and Miraz (Mehidy Hasan) have been leading the spin department for a long time and have over 350 wickets between them. We also expect Shanto (Najmul Hossain), Litton ( Das) and the other batsmen to step up because to be competitive against Pakistan, we will need a team effort,” Hossain added.
The chief selector confirmed that Taskin Ahmed will be available for only the second Test. He added that Taskin will play in a four-day match with Bangladesh A to fine-tune his form before the series.
“We have selected five pacers mindful of the fact that Taskin Ahmed will only play the second Test. He hasn’t bowled in a Test since June last year and we have decided to include him in the A Team for the second four-dayer against Pakistan A to get him into the rhythm for longer version matches, ” Hossain added.
Taskin Ahmed last appeared in a Test match in January against New Zealand. Since then, he has competed in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2024.
