Bangladesh call up newcomers Hasan, Shoriful for West Indies ODIs, Shakib returns

Bangladesh have rewarded Hasan Mahmud for his consistent performances in domestic cricket with a maiden call-up to the Tigers' ODI squad for the upcoming home series against the West Indies.

Sports Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 16 Jan 2021, 10:51 AM
Updated : 16 Jan 2021, 01:43 PM

Uncapped left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam and off-spinning allrounder Mahedi Hasan have also been named in the 18-man squad announced by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Saturday.

Talismanic all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is also set to make his return to the fold after serving a one-year ban.

The hosts will be without Al-Amin Hossain and Mohammad Naim Sheikh, who were part of the set-up for the Zimbabwe series, while former captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and pacer Shafiul Islam were both left out of the preliminary 24-man squad for the home series.

Soumya Sarkar also earned a spot in the final squad against the Caribbean side after missing the series against Zimbabwe last year, having missed the first two ODIs against the visitors due to his wedding.

Hasan made his international debut in the Twenty20 Internationals against Zimbabwe. The 21-year old pacer, a native of Lakshmipur, regularly bowls around 140 kmph.

With 20 wickets from 16 matches at an average of 34.55, Hasan’s List A records barely reflect his potential. Apart from daunting pace, his abilities include swinging the ball both ways while also utilising slower deliveries.

Shoriful, on the other hand, spearheaded Bangladesh’s bowling attack in the 2020 Under-19 showcase event. Barring that, his experiences include a part in Bangladesh A team the year before at home, a trip to Ireland with the team as well, and a spot in the BCB XI.

The left-arm pacer made his debut in first class cricket in 2017, in List A and T20 cricket the following year. He took 22 wickets from eight matches in the first class, bagged 47 wickets from 27 matches in List A and 23 wickets from 22 T20s.

Mahedi, a 26-year old allrounder who already made his T20I debut with the Tigers, has a century and four fifties to his name in List A cricket. He scored 987 runs off 70 games while taking 65 wickets at an average of 33 with his offspin.

Speedster Taskin Ahmed, too, reaped the results of hard work during the coronavirus lockdown with a return to the side along with fellow paceman Rubel Hossain, who clinched awarded the best bowler in the President’s Cup.

The first ODI is slated for Jan 20 at Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla Stadium. The second match will be held on the same ground on Jan 22 before the teams travel to Chattogram’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium for the last game on Jan 25.

Squad:

Tamim Iqbal (captain), Shakib Al Hasan, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Liton Kumar Das, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Rubel Hossain.