Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain and Kamrul Islam Rabbi have not been included in the preliminary squad for Bangladesh's tour of New Zealand set to begin on December 26. The other big news is that pace sensation Mustafizur Rahman, currently recovering from shoulder surgery, has been included.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board yesterday announced the squad for the preparation camp in Sydney, Australia and the tour of New Zealand.

The 22 players will leave for Australia after the Bangladesh Premier League and prepare for Bangladesh's tour of New Zealand in Australia. The Tigers are set to play three ODIs, two T20Is and two Tests in New Zealand.

The team includes three newcomers in Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Ebadat Hossain and Tanveer Haider. Nazmul is a former under-19 player who had played under Mehedi Hasan Miraz.

“We have made a team keeping in mind the away conditions of New Zealand and the pacers and spinners we have taken in the team are the best possible options,” said chief selector Minhajul Abedin. “Nasir, Kamrul, Al-Amin and Rubel have hence not been included in the team. We have included our best pacers and since Taskin [Ahmed] is very much a part of that group, he has been included with a view to the New Zealand Tests.

“Ebadat and Nazmul have been selected as a part of the development process.  They have been selected with an aim for the limited-overs format."

Leg-spin bowling all-rounder Tanveer has been a topic of discussion over the last few days, and he might turn out to be a surprise inclusion in the final squad. 

SQUAD

Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah Riyad, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Mosaddek Hossain, Nurul Hassan, Mehedi Hasan Miraj, Shuvagata Hom, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Taijul Islam, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shafiul Islam, Shubhashis Roy, Mohammad Shahid,  Ebadat Hossain, Tanveer Haider.

Stand by: Shahriar Nafees, Abdul Majid, Liton Kumar, Mosharraf Hossain, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Al Amin Hossain, Alauddin Babu, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain.