Mahmudullah retains place in ODI squad as Shuvagata, Sunzamul get calls

After a day filled with drama of being dropped from the Test team, Mahmudullah has been included in Bangladesh’s ODI squad against Sri Lanka.

Allrounder Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury and uncapped spinner Sunzamul Islam were also called up as the Bangladesh Cricket Board announced a 16-strong squad for the three-match series on Monday evening.

Although naming a squad of 14 or 15 players is customary, the board included 16 players for the Sri Lanka ODIs. It is being thought that the selectors took the decision after day-long controversy over dropping Mahmudullah for the matches.

Earlier in the day, team manager Khaled Mahmud had said Mahmudullah would ‘return home’ from Sri Lanka on Tuesday after his recent slump in form.

BCB chief Nazmul Hassan, however, later said that there was ‘no way’ that could happen and that he had no knowledge of such a decision.

Spinning allrounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Tanbir Hayder have been dropped from Bangladesh’s last ODI squad from the New Zealand tour.

Mushfiqur Rahim, who did not play the last two ODIs against the Kiwis due to injury, has returned to the fold while other wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan Sohan also made the cut.

After missing the first Test due to fitness issues, Imrul Kayes was included in the squad.

The ODI series begin on Mar 25 in Dambulla.

Squad:

Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Subashis Roy Chowdhury, Sunzamul Islam, Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury, Nurul Hasan Sohan.