BCB names 32-member preliminary squad for the upcoming tri-series

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Saturday announced a 32-member preliminary squad for the upcoming tri-nation series, comprising Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, which will be followed by the Test and T20I home series against the Lankans. The team will bear a new look with three uncapped players named in the initial squad. Spinner Nazmul Islam, left-arm spinner Sadman Islam and all-rounder Mahidy Hasan have all received their maiden national camp call.

Nazmul, who is well known for his snake celebration, was on song in the recently concluded fifth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) picking up 12 wickets in 10 matches for Rangpur Riders. 23-year-old off-spinner Mahidy also registered notable performances for Comilla Victorians, picking up 10 wickets in as many games. On the other hand, pacers Abu Haider Rony and Aby Jayed Rahi and middle-order batsman Ariful Haque returned to the national fold after a long time

The BCB revealed it will name the final 14-member squad for the tri-series a week before the tournament starts. Bangladesh will host a tri-series for the first time since 2010. All the matches of the series will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka from January 15-27.

The Test series begins in Chittagong at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Cricket Stadium on January 21 while the second and final Test will be played at MSBNCS from February 8-12. The first T20I will be held at MSBNCS on February 15 while the second and final game of the series will be held at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on February 18.

Squad:

Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Anamul Haque, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque, Sadman Islam, Shakib al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mohammad Mithun, Soumya Sarkar, Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shafiul Islam, Abu Haider, Abu Jayed Rahi, Subashish Roy, Rubel Hossain, Abul Hasan, Kamrul Islam, Taijul Islam, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Nazmul Islam Apu, Sanjamul Islam, Ariful Haque, Mehedi Hasan and Saifuddin