The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced their squad for the first three Twenty20 Internationals against Zimbabwe, which will be played in Chattogram. The selection committee has brought back pace-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin and handed a maiden call-up to promising left-handed opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim.
Saifuddin Makes T20I Return After Back Injury
Saifuddin’s inclusion marks a significant return for the Bangladesh pace attack. The player last featured in T20 Internationals for Bangladesh in October 2022, just before the T20 World Cup. However, a back injury sidelined him until January 2024. Upon his return, he impressed in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), claiming 15 wickets in nine matches and contributing to Fortune Barishal’s maiden BPL title triumph.
Uncapped Tanzid Earns Maiden Call-Up
Meanwhile, Tanzid Hasan Tamim has received a well-deserved reward for his consistent performances. The left-handed opener, who has already made 15 ODI appearances for Bangladesh since his debut last year, enjoyed a decent BPL campaign as well. While he missed out on selection for the T20I series against Sri Lanka last month, his talent and potential haven’t gone unnoticed by the selectors.
Shakib and Mustafizur to Miss Initial Matches
Bangladesh will be without the experience of Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman for the opening stages of the series. Shakib is expected to return to Dhaka on April 30th and might play a Dhaka Premier League (DPL) match before rejoining the national squad for the remaining two T20Is. Mustafizur, currently involved in the IPL, will arrive in Bangladesh on May 2nd and undergo a fitness assessment before his availability for the final two matches in Dhaka is determined.
The T20I squad for the Zimbabwe series sees some changes compared to the one that faced Sri Lanka. Anamul Haque, Taijul Islam, and Mohammad Naim have been dropped, while Soumya Sarkar remains on the sidelines recovering from a knee injury sustained during the third ODI against Sri Lanka. Left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam and all-rounder Afif Hossain have retained their places in the squad, along with established names like Liton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, and Taskin Ahmed.
Schedule for the T20I Series
The first three T20Is between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe will be played at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on May 3rd, 5th, and 7th. The action then shifts to Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium for the final two matches scheduled for May 10th and 12th.
With a mix of experience and exciting new faces, Bangladesh will be aiming to start their T20I season on a winning note against Zimbabwe. The inclusion of Saifuddin and the potential return of Shakib Al Hasan for the latter half of the series adds firepower to the Bangladesh squad, making for an intriguing series against the touring Zimbabwean side.
Bangladesh Squad for first three T20Is Against Zimbabwe: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan, Parvez Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Afif Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin
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