Mosaddek returns as Bangladesh announce squad for NZ tour

The Bangladesh Cricket Board Friday announced the squad for the national team’s upcoming tour of New Zealand. 

The Bangladesh team will depart for New Zealand Tuesday to play three ODIs and as many T20s.

The 20-man squad has been announced for both ODIs and T20s.

Ace all-rounder Shakib al Hasan was granted leave for the New Zealand series for personal reason, making Taijul Islam the only Bangladesh left-arm spinner for the tour.

Bangladesh last played T20s against Zimbabwe at home in March last year. 

From that squad, leg-spinner Aminul Islam Biplob and right-arm pacer Shahidul Islam have been dropped.

Middle-order batsman Mosaddek Hossain has returned to the squad for the upcoming tour after last playing an ODI back in July, 2019 against Sri Lanka. 

Mosaddek played his last T20 against India in November, 2019 when he returned home early without completing the series due to his ailing mother.

Although Mosaddek performed below-par with the bat in the Bangabandhu T20 Cup where he scored 148 runs in nine innings, his inclusion in the squad will give more options to the Tigers in the middle-order in tough conditions in New Zealand.

The first ODI between Bangladesh and hosts New Zealand will be played at University of Otago Oval, Dunedin on March 20. 

The second ODI will be held at Hagley Oval, Christchurch on March 23 while the third will be played at Basin Reserve, Wellington on March 26. 

The three-T20 series will be played in Hamilton, Napier and Auckland respectively on March 28,30 and April 1.

Squad

Tamim Iqbal, Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Naim, Taskin Ahmed, Al Amin Hossain, Shariful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Rubel Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed