The Bangladesh Test team has welcomed back Taskin Ahmed and Mushfiqur Rahim for the two-match series against Pakistan that begins later this month. Shahadat Hossain, a batter, was not included in the team that last faced Sri Lanka in March.
Due to a thumb injury, Mushfiqur was unable to play in the Sri Lankan Tests, while Taskin had to take a hiatus from red-ball cricket to tend to his shoulder issue. Taskin will play the second four-day match for Bangladesh A on August 20, but he will only be available for the second Test in Karachi, which starts on August 30.
Having declared himself ready for selection last month, senior all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is also included in the team. Shakib, who was removed from parliament on August 5th when the Awami League-led government collapsed, will be the main subject.
As part of Bangladesh A, six members of the Test team touched down in Pakistan on Saturday. They will play their first four-day match in Islamabad starting on August 13 and include Mominul and Mushfiqur.
Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain stated, “For this version, the emphasis was on picking our best players.” “This team has a good balance. There is no alternative for the sort of experience gained from playing as many matches as Shakib (Al Hasan), Mominul (Haque), and Mushfiqur (Rahim) have combined. With almost 350 wickets between them, Taijul (Islam) and Miraz (Mehidy Hasan) have long been at the top of the spin department. We also anticipate that Litton (Das), Shanto (Najmul Hossain), and the other batsmen will step up because we will need a team effort to compete against Pakistan.”
Taskin’s last Test match was against New Zealand in January. Although Taskin participated in the T20 World Cup and the Lanka Premier League, Ashraf stated that Bangladesh was eager to ease him back into the lengthier format.
“Keeping in mind that Taskin Ahmed will only play in the second Test, we have chosen five pacers. We have chosen to include him in the A Team for the second four-day match against Pakistan A in order to acclimate him to longer length contests, considering he hasn’t bowled in a Test since June of last year.
“Pakistan are very tough opponents, especially in their home front and it will be a challenging tour for us,” Ashraf stated. “It is advantageous because we would have more time in Lahore to get ready. Additionally, a few players who are currently with the Bangladesh A squad in Pakistan will be joining the national team for the Test series. Their familiarity with the circumstances should be helpful.
August 21 marks the start of the first Test in Rawalpindi, while August 30 marks the start of the second Test in Karachi. The team will fly to Islamabad on August 17 in advance of the first Test, having trained at the Gaddafi Stadium from August 14 to 16.
Bangladesh Test squad to arrive four days ahead of schedule in Pakistan
