(Cricket news) Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said on Tuesday, that the all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is unlikely to feature in the T20I series against Zimbabwe. The series is scheduled to be played from the 3rd of May until the 12th of May.

Shakib and Mustafizur are not a part of the 17-member preparation squad announced by the BCB for the Zimbabwe series. Mustafizur is currently a part of the Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

Shakib is currently in USA and is expected to return home in the last week of April. He reportedly wanted to play some domestic games, before making a comeback to the international arena, and therefore he might feature in the Dhaka Premier League for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Cricket Club.

Gazi Ashraf Hossain, BCB chief selector, told reporters, “We have communicated with him (Shakib) and the outcome is that he is expected to come at the end of this month and there is a possibility he will play DPL in one or two games and later will get involved with the team management and there he can do some practice over cricketing skill as per the desire of team management and him. Later definitely we will want him to play a couple of games at the end in the five-match T20I series.” 

“We will announce the team on April 28 and by that time you will get a clear picture for how many matches he is available,” he said.

“A player will have to follow a process. He will come from abroad and he will be tired due to journey. He need to adjust with the heat and he need to return to the team by working with Bangladesh team management as quickly as possible and we will look after that,” he added, explaining that gelling with team on arrival won’t be a problem.

“As far as team bonding is concerned he knows how to gel with the team and it won’t be a problem. We have five matches against Zimbabwe and later we will go to America and player couple of games (three-match T20 series), so there are lot of games before the start of the World Cup,” he said.

Talking about the left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman, Ashraf informed that he will return home on the 2nd of May and hence will miss the opening encounter against Zimbabwe. Mustafizur’s leave was extended by a day to allow him to play CSK’s game against the Punjab Kings.

Squad for Preparation Camp: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tanvir Islam, Afif Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Mohammad Saifuddin and Soumya Sarkar

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