Pakistan vs Bangladesh: Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik join squad after testing COVID-19 negative

DHAKA: Pakistan cricket team captain Babar Azam and all-rounder Shoaib Malik have joined the national squad for the Pakistan vs Bangladesh series after testing negative for COVID-19.

Both players had joined the squad at the team hotel in the Bangladeshi capital on Tuesday. They will participate in the training session with other members of the team today (Wednesday).

The national squad will conduct a full three-hour training session today which will begin at 1:45 pm local time.

The three-match T20 series against Bangladesh starts November 19.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan has regained full fitness and was part of the training session at the Mirpur Cricket Academy. The batter was suffering from a chest infection during the T20 World Cup and played the semi-final after spending two nights in hospital.

“Players stayed busy training for three hours in which they batted, bowled, fielded and were seen engaged in physical exercise,” according to a team official.

The second and third T20 internationals against Bangladesh will be held on November 20 and 22 in Dhaka.

The matches will be day-night games, with fans returning to the gallery in Bangladesh for the first time since March 2020.

Pakistan will also play two Test matches during their visit to Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s T20 squad for Pakistan series

Right-hand batter Mushfiqur Rahim has been rested for the three-match T20I series against Pakistan.

He was under fire for his below-par performance in the recent T20 World Cup, having scored just one half-century in eight matches.

Bangladesh had a dismal tournament, where they lost to Scotland in the qualifiers and failed to win a single game in the Super-12 phase.

They were forced to make at least six changes to the squad for the upcoming series, with all-rounders Shakib Al Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin ruled out due to injury.

Batters Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar have been dropped for the series against the World Cup semi-finalists, as well as fast bowler Rubel Hossain.

Those recalled to the side include batter Najmul Hossain Shanto and leg spinner Aminul Islam Biplob.

There were also maiden T20 call-ups for Under-19 World Cup-winning captain Akbar Ali -- a wicketkeeper -- batters Saif Hassan and Yasir Ali Chowdhury, and pace bowler Shohidul Islam.

Squad: Mahmudullah Riyad (captain), Mohammad Naim, Najmul Hossain, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahedi Hasan, Aminul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Shamim Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Saif Hassan, Yasir Ali, Shohidul Islam, Akbar Ali.