Mashrafe and co depart for Sri Lanka

Bangladesh ODI and T20I captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza along with three members of ODI squad for the Sri Lanka series left for Colombo from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka today.

Mashrafe was accompanied by Sanjamul Islam, Shuvagata Hom and Nurul Hasan when he left for Sri Lanka this afternoon. When talking about his team’s chances in the 3-match series, Mashrafe explained that the Tigers would have to perform in all three departments in order to beat Sri Lanka in their own backyard.

Earlier, national selectors announced a 16-member squad for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, brining in uncapped left-arm spinner Sanjamul Islam in place of off-spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz.

The Minhajul Abedin-led selection panel made few changes from the last team which featured in New Zealand.

The new faces in the latest squad are 27-year-old Sanjamul and Shuvagata Hom while Mehedi and leg-spinner Tanveer Haider are excluded from the team. Mahmudullah Riyad retained his place in the ODI team.

Regarding Sanjamul and Hom's inclusion, the former national skipper said: “We picked up Sanjamul for his brilliant performance in the domestic cricket. Sanjamul is a very good left-arm spinner, and useful batsman and an excellent fielder. On the other hand we have decided to include Mehedi in the Emerging Cup team as the team management wanted to play him only in Test right at this moment.”

The first ODI will take place at Dambulla on March 25.

ODI Squad

Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mosaddek Hossain, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (captain), Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Subashis Roy, Sanjamul Islam, Shuvagata Hom,  Nurul Hasan