Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on May 20 (Thursday) announced a 15-member squad for the first two ODIs of the three-match series against Sri Lanka. Ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who didn’t travel to the squad for the tour of New Zealand owing to an injury, has been added to the squad.

Shakib also opted out of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He and Mustafizur Rahman were in hotel quarantine since returning to Dhaka after the IPL’s suspension and started training on May 18 after completing 11 days in isolation.

Najmul Hussain Shanto, who played only a solitary T20I in Auckland on the tour has been dropped, whereas Al Amin Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Rubel Hossain, Mohammad Naim, and Nasum Ahmed have also failed to get a spot in the team. Both Hossain and Mahmud are currently nursing back injuries and need rehab before they could eye a comeback.

We hope to play better cricket against Sri Lanka – Bangladesh selector

Chief selector Minhajul Abedin said Shanto was dropped owing to his poor run in the ODIs. He has just 93 runs in eight matches so far, including 38 runs in three innings in the ODI series against West Indies. He was in the squad for the New Zealand tour but didn’t play any of the ODIs.

“We beat West Indies quite comprehensively in the last home series, so we didn’t change the squad too much,” he told media on Thursday. “We have almost kept every one. The selection panel hopes that we play better cricket against Sri Lanka.

Moreover, Bangladesh have included four standby cricketers – Naim Sheikh, Taijul Islam, Shohidul Islam, Aminul Islam Biplob, who will stay with the squad. Abedin said that the standby cricketers were included keeping in mind the COVID-19 crisis.

“We have kept four standbys with the 15-man squad. They will stay with the team. It is a contingency for Covid-19 situation,” he added.

Bangladesh squad: Tamim Iqbal (capt), Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Shoriful Islam

Standbys: Mohammad Naim, Taijul Islam, Shohidul Islam, Aminul Islam Biplob