Agencies
Bangladesh Cricket Board announced on Saturday that allrounder Mahmudullah has been included in the Bangladesh Test squad for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe. Mahmudullah, the T20 skipper, was ignored from the longest format for more than a year, with his previous Test match coming against Pakistan in February 2020. The fact that he’s now fully fit to bowl led to his Test recall.
Earlier, the Bangladesh team management were not keen on including Mahmudullah for Test cricket since he had not been bowling due to his injury. But, the all-rounder recently started bowling, even picking up 17 wickets in 16 matches in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League T20. The 35-year-old also announced that he is back as a bowler.
Mahmudullah's addition now expands the Test squad to 18 members. Shakib Al Hasan was also named in the squad which was announced a few days back, with the left-handed all-rounder returning to the Test team having skipped the Sri Lanka Test series to play the IPL.
Meanwhile, Tamim Iqbal, Taskin Ahmed and Mushfiqur Rahim, who are out of action in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League due to their respective injuries, are expected to be fit before the Zimbabwe tour. Mahmudullah's inclusion serves as a cover should one of the senior batsmen miss out, according to BCB cricket operations chairman Akram Khan.
Bangladesh Test squad: MominulHaque (c), Tamim Iqbal, Shadman Islam, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Das, Yasir Ali, Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Abu Jayed, Ebadot Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mahmudullah.
