Mushy set to come back for Zimbabwe Test
Mushfiqur Rahim is all set to produce a comeback to the national team in the upcoming lone Test against Zimbabwe, scheduled to begin from February 22, with selectors likely to announce the team today.
There were rumours that Mushfiqur would not be looked at for the Zimbabwe series if he didn't change his mind about touring Pakistan because the Bangladesh team management wished to have continuity in the side instead of tinkering with the squad.
However, chief selector Minhajul Abedin said yesterday that there was no reason never to include the wicketkeeper-batsman.
"We spoke to Mushfiqur today [Saturday] and he is all set to return to the Test side for the upcoming Test series against Zimbabwe. We are going to submit the Test team tomorrow and the squad will most likely be announced tomorrow [Sunday]," Minhajul told The Daily Star yesterday.
It had been learned that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had asked Mushfiqur to reconsider his decision to tour Pakistan after he became the only person to pull out from the tour due to personal reasons.
However, it really is still unconfirmed whether Mushfiqur will change his mind and tour Pakistan for the 3rd and final phase of the tour. On the last leg of the tour in April, Bangladesh will play one ODI and the next and final Test in Karachi.
There have also been discussions about another experienced cricketer, Mahmudullah Riyad, and his poor form in the longest version of the game which includes seen him score just one fifty in his last ten innings. It had been learned that the team management had asked the 34-year-old to give attention to the limited-overs format and it'll be interesting to see if the selectors including him in the team.
Pacer Taskin Ahmed can be likely to become popular again to the Test side as pacer Al Amin Hossain is suffering from injury. The selectors may also consider Mustafizur Rahman and young seamer Hasan Mahmud for the Test against Zimbabwe at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.
Bangladesh will be desperate to come back to winning ways after continuous disappointments in the game's longest format.
Mominul Haque and his troops have lost all five Test matches in 2019 and that trend continued into 2020, which began with just one more innings and 44-run thrashing in Rawalpindi last week.
Source: www.thedailystar.net
