Bangladesh have recalled left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny and pace bowler Al-Amin Hossain in their 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match Twenty20 International series in India. Fast bowler Rubel Hossain has been omitted.
The inclusion of Arafat and Al-Amin was nothing short of surprise as both of them had fallen off selectors’ radar quite some time ago.
“We have picked Arafat as he is bowling quite consistently in the domestic arena. We already have Shakib Al Hassan but we need someone who has the experience of playing the shorter format,” BCB chief selector Minhajul Abedin told media after the board released the squad.
“Al Amin was picked as we have seen there is some grass on the Indian wickets. In the recent past, he had improved his fitness to quite an extent and he is one of the few bowlers who can bowl with the seam up and we have seen that pacers who are bowling with the seam up are quite successful in India.” Abedin added.
From the last squad, BCB has excluded Taijul Islam, Sabbir Rahman, and Nazmul Hossain while also handing the comeback opportunity for Soumya Sarkar in the shortest format.
“Actually we were not very keen to take Soumya. He was picked majorly at the insistence of the coach,” the chief selector revealed.
Bangladesh are due to play a three-match T20I series in India, with the opener scheduled for November 3 in national capital Delhi. The action moves to Rajkot for game 2 on November 7 and concludes in Nagpur with the third and final fixture on November 10.
The visitors will also play two-Test series after the three T20Is, the squad for which will be announced in due course.
Bangladesh T20I squad: Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Tamim Iqbal, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Naim, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Aminul Islam, Arafat Sunny, Mohammad Saifuddin, Al-Amin Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shafiul Islam
