Bangladesh drop Mustafizur Rehman for first Test against Pakistan

Bangladesh on Saturday dropped pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman and recalled Rubel Hossain for the first Test of the two-match series against Pakistan which begins in Rawalpindi next week.

Mustafizur was in the two-Test series against India in
November but was not picked for any of the matches due to his poor form and
fitness.

“Mustafiz was dropped for his poor performance. He is
in and out of the team for quite some time and doesn’t play longer-format
matches regularly. His white-ball performances are not satisfactory,” said
chief selector Minhajul Abedin.

Opening batsmen Imrul Kayes, Shadman Islam and off-spinner
Mehidy Hasan were also left out for injury while wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur
Rahim opted out due to security concerns.

Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal returned to the Test side after
skipping the India series for family reason while Bangladesh also recalled
batsmen Najmul Hossain and Soumya Sarkar.

“Soumya has been picked as a backup player. Our first
choice openers are Saif Hasan and Tamim. We have picked Soumya in the squad if
coach makes plan to play him at seven as an all-rounder as they (Pakistan) have
good number of quality fast bowlers,” said Minhajul.

Bangladesh are due to depart for Pakistan on Tuesday for the
first Test scheduled for February 7-11.

The second Test will be played April 5-9 in Karachi, after a
one-day international on April 3.

Bangladesh visited Pakistan earlier in January amid tight
security for a three-match Twenty20 international series in Lahore, which they
lost 2-0.

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan last week
expressed his satisfaction over the security provided to the visitors during
the Twenty20 series adding that “there was no reason not to go again for
the Test series.”

Squad: Mominul Haque (Capt), Tamim Iqbal, Saif Hasan, Najmul
Hossain,  Mahmudullah Riyad, Mohammad
Mithun, Liton Das, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Ebadat Hossain, Abu Jayed,
Al-Amin Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Soumya Sarkar.

Article source: https://www.samaa.tv/sports/2020/02/bangladesh-drop-mustafizur-rehman-for-first-test-against-pakistan/