DHAKA: Star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan returned on Thursday as Bangladesh named a 15-man squad for their three-match One-day International series against Sri Lanka, beginning on Sunday.

Shakib skipped the country’s previous ODI series in New Zealand when his wife gave birth and also took a break from a Test tour in Sri Lanka in April to play in the lucrative Indian Premier League.

Batsmen Nazmul Hossain, Mohammad Naim and pacer Al-Amin Hossain have been excluded from the squad that travelled to New Zealand in February-March.

“We felt we don’t need too many players for a home series. This is why some players have been rested. A few other players have been kept as stand-by. They would also remain in bio-bubble,” said chief selector Minhajul Abedin.

The three ODIs against Sri Lanka, which will be held all in Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, respectively on May 23, May 25 and May 28, are part of ICC’s ODI championship.

Squad: Tamim Iqbal (captain), Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Shoriful Islam.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2021