New Delhi:
Tamim Iqbal, who had missed the home series involving Zimbabwe and Afghanistan after the end of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, has been included back in the Bangladesh team for the upcoming three-match Twenty20 Internationals against India. The left-hander had requested a break from the Bangladesh Cricket Board after a woeful 2019 World Cup where he managed just one fifty. In the subsequent series against Sri Lanka, where he was also the captain, Bangladesh were whitewashed 3-0 and he requested time-off to work on his fitness.
However, there is a major surprise in the inclusion of Arafat Sunny and Al-Amin Hossain. Sunny and Al-Amin featured in the 2016 World T20 and have not played for Bangladesh since. The 33-year-old Sunny, a left-arm orthodox spinner who has taken 12 wickets in 10 T20Is, was suspended during the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 for an illegal bowling action. He had also spent two months in jail after being arrested in 2017 for his involvement in a family dispute.
Al-Amin's inclusion is a result of Rubel Hossain getting injured. The squad sees the inclusion of some youngsters like Afif Hossain, who hit a fifty against Zimbabwe in the Twenty20 tri-series. The selectors also decided to drop Sabbir Rahman, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Rubel and Taijul Islam from the side that played during the tri-nation series at home. Speaking about the squad, chief selector Minhajul Abedin said, "We have recalled Sunny because we need someone experienced for India, which is a tough country. Al-Amin comes into the squad as some of our other fast bowlers are injured."
The side will be captained by Shakib Al Hasan, who himself took a break after the end of the ICC Cricket World Cup for the series against Sri Lanka. Bangladesh have lost all eight Twenty20 Internationals against India, with the last loss coming in 2018 in a heart-breaking final at the Nidahas Trophy in Colombo. In that match, Dinesh Karthik smashed 29 off eight balls which included a last ball six off Soumya Sarkar.
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The T20I series will begin with the first match on November 3 at Arun Jaitley stadium in New Delhi. The next two games are at Rajkot and Nagpur on November 7 and 10 respectively.
Squad: Shakib Al Hasan (C), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Naim Sheikh, Mushfiqur Rahhim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, Musaddek Hossain, Aminul Islam Biplob, Arafat Sunny, Mohammad Saifuddin, Al-Amin Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shafiul Islam.
