DHAKA: Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal returned to the side on Thursday for next month’s three-match ODI series against England.

Tamim missed Bangladesh’s 2-1 series win over India in December with a groin injury and was considered doubtful for the England clash after aggravating the problem during the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League T20 tournament.

But chief selector Minhajul Abedin told AFP that the left-hander had completely regained his fitness and would be available from the start of the series on March 1 in Dhaka.

“There’s no injury concern about him at the moment. We are hopeful he will be available for all three matches,” he said.

The hosts recalled left-arm spinner Taijul Islam and handed young batsman Towhid Hridoy his maiden call-up to the national side.

Towhid, a member of Bangladesh’s 2020 Under-19 World Cup winning squad, impressed in the BPL, scoring 403 runs at 36.63.

“We have been keeping an eye on him for quite some time as he is a member of our high-performance winning squad,” Minhajul said.

Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed and wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan have been dropped to make way for Taijul and Towhid.

England will arrive in Bangladesh on Feb 24 for their first visit to the country since 2016.

Originally scheduled for last year’s September-October session, the tour was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The tour will kick off with three ODIs, to be played at Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on March 1 and 3 and Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on March 6.

Chittagong will then host the first T20 International match on March 9 before the teams return to the capital for the remaining two games on March 12 and 14.

England, the defending world champions in both formats, are the only side to register an ODI series win in Bangladesh since 2015.

Squad: Tamim Iqbal (captain), Liton Das, Najmul Hossain, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Ebadot Hossain, Taijul Islam, Towhid Hridoy.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2023