Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has named a 15-player squad for the upcoming one-off Test against Afghanistan, starting June 14 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
Opening batter Litton Das has been appointed captain of the side as veteran Shakib al Hasan remains sidelined due to his finger injury. The Afghan team who are currently in Sri Lanka for the ODI series will arrive in Bangladesh on June 10.
Litton will captain a 15-member team comprising of Shahadat Hossain and Musfik Hasan, who are yet to make their international debut. Having been a part of the Bangladesh team that emerged victorious in the Under-19 World Cup in 2020, Shahadat showcased his talent in domestic tournaments. As a middle-order batsman, he impressively scored two half-centuries in back-to-back unofficial Tests against West Indies A.
Likewise, the emergence of fast bowler Musfik was marked by an outstanding performance in the 2022-23 National Cricket League, where he claimed 25 wickets at an impressive average of 15.92. Notably, he achieved an extraordinary feat by capturing 8 wickets for 73 runs against Dhaka Division, making it the third instance of an eight-wicket haul in domestic first-class cricket in Bangladesh.
Additionally, Taskin Ahmed, who was previously sidelined from the Ireland Test due to a side strain, has made a comeback. Zakir Hasan, who missed the April Ireland Test due to a thumb injury after being selected for the ODI squad for the first time in March, will also rejoin the team. As a result, Shadman Islam and Rejaur Rahman Raja will not be part of the squad.
Bangladesh squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan: Litton Das (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shahadat Hossain, Musfik Hasan.
