BD receives Shakib boost for Asia Cup

DHAKA: The uncertainty around Shakib Al Hasan’s availability for the Asia Cup was quashed on Thursday when the Bangladesh Cricket Board included him in the 15-member squad.

There were speculations surrounding the star all-rounder who was expected to undergo a surgery on his injured finger during the same time as the multi-team tournament, but it now looks like that the surgery has been postponed.

The animosity had heightened when board president Nazmul Hasan openly questioned Shakib’s decision to undergo the surgery during the Asia Cup. Later, Nazmul reversed his stance and left the decision to the star all-rounder. Shakib had sustained the injury during the tri-nation series involving Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka in Bangladesh earlier this year.

Mashrafe Mortaza, who charmingly turned the fortunes around for Bangladesh in the ODI series of the West Indies tour after they had been ruthlessly smashed in the preceding Test series, will look to carry the good form into the Asia Cup, a tournament where they have reached the finals two out of the last three times.

Bangladesh made three changes to the squad that defeated the Windies 2-1 in the recently concluded ODI series. It is being speculated that all-rounder Sabbir Rahman has been dropped on disciplinary grounds after he landed himself in hot water for allegedly abusing a fan on social media. They have also left Anamul Haque and Abu Jayed out. Anamul’s form ditched him in the three-match series where he returned only 33 runs.

The other notable inclusion is of Ariful Haque who will line up to make his first ODI appearance. He was a part of the T20I unit that defeated the hosts Windies 2-1.Bangladesh will kick-start their campaign on the first day of the Asia Cup against Sri Lanka on September 15.

Squad: Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Shakib Al Hasan (vc), Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Ariful Haque, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Nazmul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Haider Rony.