Veteran all-rounder Mahmudullah has returned to the national T20I set-up for the first time since 2022 as the Bangladesh Cricket Board announced their limited-over squads for the upcoming bilateral series against Sri Lanka.
The 38-year-old, who played his last T20I against Sri Lanka during the Asia Cup in Dubai, had been overlooked for the last one and a half years but his scintillating performance in the ICC World Cup in India as well as the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League, made the selectors bring him back to the side.
However, another veteran and former skipper Shakib Al Hasan was not included for either the T20Is or the opening two ODIs of the three-match series due to his eye problem.
Meanwhile, uncapped mystery off-spinner Aliss Al Islam has been included in the 15-member T20I squad which also witnessed the return of openers Mohammad Naim and Anamul Haque as well as left-arm spinner Taijul Islam and pacer Taskin Ahmed.
Rony Talukdar, Hasan Mahmud, Afif Hossain, Shamim Hossain, Tanvir Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who were part of the last T20I squad against New Zealand, however, failed to retain their places in the shortest format.
Meanwhile, the BCB also declared a 15-member squad for the opening two ODIs against Sri Lanka where they brought in Mahmudullah, Taskin and Taijul in the place of Afif, Mahmud and Rakibul Hasan.
The three T20I will be held in Sylhet respectively on 4, 6 and 9 March and it will be followed by an ODI series, scheduled on 13, 15 and 18 March respectively.
The limited-over series will be followed by a two-match Test series, which is a part of the 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship cycle. The series will start with the first match in Sylhet on 22-26 March while the second Test will be held between March 30 and 3 April in Chattogram.
T20I squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Litton Das, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Mohammad Naim, Towhid Hridoy, Soumya Sarkar, Mahedi Hasan, Mahmudullah, Taijul Islam, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Aliss Al Islam.
ODI squad (for opening two ODIs): Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Anamul Haque Bijoy, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Litton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Mustafizur Rahman.
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