Bangladesh recall half-fit Mustafizur Rahman for ODI series against West Indies

Bangladesh included half-fit pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman in their squad for a three-match one-day international series against the West Indies later this month.

Mustafizur has been out of competitive cricket since he hurt his left big toe in May during an Indian Premier League match for the Mumbai Indians.

The 22-year-old missed a three-match Twenty20 international series against Afghanistan in June and was also excluded from the Bangladesh squad for the two-Test series against the West Indies, beginning on Wednesday in Antigua.

“He has yet to regain his full fitness. Yet, we included him in the ODI squad because we have some time in our hands,” said chief selector Minhajul Abedin.

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“We will see him how he goes in a four-day match against Sri Lanka A next week. If he can prove his match fitness, only then he will travel with the squad,” he said.

Minhajul added they have already included uncapped pacer Abu Jayed as back-up to Mustafizur, which raised the number of players in the squad to 16. Jayed, who played three Twenty20 internationals but has yet to make his debut in other formats, was one of the four players to get his maiden ODI call up in a revamped squad that last played a 50-over game in January.

Top-order batsman Nazmul Hossain, off-spinner Nazmul Islam and pacer Abu Hider were the other three new additions while selectors also recalled batsmen Liton Das and Mosaddek Hossain.

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Opener Imrul Kayes, middle-order batsmen Nasir Hossain and Mohammad Mithun, pacer Abul Hasan, all-rounder Mohammad Saif Uddin and off-spinner Sunzamul Islam have been excluded.

The first two matches of the series will be held in Guyana on July 22 and 25 while St. Kitts will host the final ODI on July 28.

Bangladesh squad: Mashrafe Mortaza (Capt), Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Hossain, Mehedi Hasan, Nazmul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Hider and Abu Jayed.