Bangladesh
Bangladesh cricketers (Image Credit: Twitter)

Bangladesh Cricket Board has announced their 15-member for the first Test against Sri Lanka, set to begin from the 21st of April in Pallekele. Bangladesh have reached Sri Lanka, where they will clash in two Tests with their sub-continent counterparts – both of which would be hosted by the Pallekele International Stadium. The tourists have trimmed their 21-man preliminary squad to 15 for the opening Test.

Mominul Haque will captain the team, bereft of their ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and seamer Mustafizur Rahman. Both are plying their trades in the Indian Premier League for the Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, as the BCB granted the NOC for the same.

Mominul Haque
Mominul Haque. Image-AFP

Tamim Iqbal, who played both the Tests in the home series against the West Indies, has retained his spot, while experienced players like Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Taijul Islam would be crucial to the Tigers’ chances. The West Indies humiliated Bangladesh in the two-Test series at the latter’s backyard by winning both of them convincingly.

On the other hand, Sri Lanka also lost both the Tests in a recent series to England; however, they fared well in an away rubber against the West Indies. The two-Test series ended 0-0 in Antigua. Bangladesh’s series against Sri Lanka was to take place in July last year; however, it had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The cricketing boards found another window in October-November; however, the tourists were not ready to comply with the 14-day quarantine period in Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh’s squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka:

Mominul Haque (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shadman Islam, Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rah, Taijul Islam, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Mohammed Saif Hassan, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Shoriful Islam.

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