Mehidy, Rubel axed from BD T20 squad

DHAKA: Bangladesh dropped off-spinner Mehidy Hasan and pace bowler Rubel Hossain in a new-look Twenty20 squad named Tuesday for the first two matches of the tri-nations series against Afghanistan and Zimbabwe.

All-rounder Ariful Haque, pace bowler Abu Hider, spinner Nazmul Islam and batsman Mohammad Mithun were also left out from Bangladesh’s last Twenty20 squad that played the West Indies in December 2018.

Opening batter Tamim Iqbal was not included after asking for a break from international cricket.

Bangladesh squad: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Taijul Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman and Yeasin Arafat.