Sakib back as Mashrafee rebuffs call for T20 return

Bangladesh on Monday announced the 16-man squad for the tri-nation Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka with injured captain Sakib al Hasan and without retired former captain Mashrafee bin Murtaza. 
Sakib was added to the side despite he failed to recover completely from a finger injury that forced him to miss the recent Test and Twenty20 International series against Sri Lanka. 
The BCB officials discussed for a long about his injury status before including his name to the squad that was announced nearly four hours after the schedule. 
‘Sakib has no problem with bowling but he has some problem with batting. It will be ideal to give him rest for next eight to 10 days,’ said Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan. 
‘His finger was swollen. So we can’t take any risk with Sakib,’ he said. The BCB included off-spinner Mehedi Hasan as back up to Sakib while also named Mahmudullah formally as the vice-captain of the Twenty20 side.
BCB president confirmed that they had also formally requested former Twenty20 captain Mashrafee to end his retirement and join the squad in vain. 
‘Previously when we told Mashrafee, he didn’t show any interest,’ said Nazmul. ‘This time we also informed him but he completely refused our proposal. So we didn’t think about Mashrafee.’
Bangladesh have brought five changes from the two-match Twenty20 international series against Sri Lanka, which they lost 2-0.
Opener Imrul Kayes, pacer Taskin Ahmed and wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan have returned to the side alongside Mehedi and regular skipper Sakib.
Mohammad Saifuddin, Mahedi Hasan, Zakir Hasan, Afif Hossain 
and Mohammad Mithun have been dropped from the side. 
Chief selector Minhajul Abedin said different circumstances have compelled them to bring different changes to the squad.
‘Imrul Kayes has been included as third opener. We were looking for someone who can handle the fast bowler well. Pacers will dominate in Sri Lankan condition. Moreover, India also play with number of fast bowlers now,’ he said.
‘We had to drop Zakir because Tamim returned. Afif was a replacement [in Sri Lanka series] of Sakib. Now he has also returned,’ he added.
Minhajul said they have not completely abandoned them as the team has a vision with this group of young players for 2020 Twenty20 World Cup. 
The chief selector said Taskin was brought back to full to the demand of skipper Sakib. 
‘It was in the end a unanimous decision,’ he said of Taskin. ‘The many fast bowlers we have now, he is the quickest.’
The tri-nation Nidahas tournament, which has been organised to mark the 70th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s Independence, will run from March 6-18.
India are the third team of the tournament.

Squad
Sakib al Hasan (Capt), Mahmudullah (Vice-capt), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Abu Hider, Abu Jayed, Ariful Haque, Nazmul Islam, Nurul Hasan and Mehedi Hasan.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net