Shakib Al Hasan included in Bangladesh squad for two-match Test series against Pakistan

Dhaka, Aug 11 (IANS) Bangladesh’s veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been included in the side’s 16-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Pakistan, starting on August 21 in Rawalpindi.

Shakib last played Test cricket for Bangladesh in May when they hosted Sri Lanka for a two-match series. Since then, he has been playing only T20 cricket, starting from Men’s T20 World Cup to Major League Cricket in the USA, and Global T20 Canada League.

Apart from him, veteran wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim and fast-bowler Taskin Ahmed too make a return to the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led Test squad. Taskin, though, hasn’t bowled a delivery in red-ball cricket since June last year, and will only play second Test, starting on August 30.

“We have selected five pacers mindful of the fact that Taskin Ahmed will only play the second Test. He hasn’t bowled in a Test since June last year and we have decided to include him in the A Team for the second four-dayer against Pakistan A to get him into the rhythm for longer version matches," said Gazi Ashraf Hossain, Chairman National Selection Panel, to reporters.

Pakistan and Bangladesh have played six Test series so far with Bangladesh yet to win a Test match against the Shan Masood-led hosts’. They managed to draw only one of the 13 Test matches between these teams.

“The emphasis was on picking our best players for this version. This is a well-balanced squad. The likes of Mushfiqur (Rahim), Mominul (Haque) and Shakib (Al Hasan) have played 216 matches combined and there is no substitute for that kind of experience."

"Taijul (Islam) and Miraz (Mehidy Hasan) have been leading the spin department for a long time and have over 350 wickets between them. We also expect Shanto (Najmul Hossain), Litton (Kumar Das) and the other batsmen to step up because to be competitive against Pakistan, we will need a team effort,” added Hossain.

Bangladesh will arrive in Lahore on August 13 and will train at the Gaddafi Stadium from August 14-16, before traveling to Islamabad on August 17 and hold practice sessions at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from August 18-20 in the run-up to the first Test.

Bangladesh Test squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumar Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed and Syed Khaled Ahmed

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