Picture Credit: Twitter/@BCBtigers
The Bangladesh Cricket Board has informed that leg-spinner Aminul Islam Biplob has returned home before the start of the T20 World Cup campaign in the Middle East. Although the 21-year-old was named as one of the two travelling reserves for the Bangladesh cricket team, now pacer Rubel Hossain is set to be the lone player as the reserve of the Bangladesh team for the mega event.
It is being reported that Rubel has been named as the reserve due to the track record of fast bowlers getting injured. Notably, the Bangladesh squad already has Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed and Mohammad Saifuddin as the pace bowling options for the World Cup, beginning on October 17.
In this case, only when one of their pacers gets injured and is ruled out of the competition, can Rubel come into the picture.
Have kept Rubel as precaution as a couple of pacers are carrying niggle: Habibul Bashar
"Biplob (Aminul) is returning. We have kept Rubel as part of precaution as a couple of pace bowlers are carrying slight niggle," national selector Habibul Bashar was quoted addressing the reporters (via CricTracker).
"Rubel will be with us for the entire event as Reserve Player. In case any player is ruled out, Rubel will join as player from the status of Reserve player and the rule is not new as this is in practice from 2017 Champions Trophy," Rabeed Imam, senior manager media and communications of BCB, told Cricbuzz.
Bangladesh to travel to Abu Dhabi on October 10
The Bangla Tigers will be travelling to Abu Dhabi on October 10, Sunday. As per the schedule of the warm-up matches, they will play two practice games against Sri Lanka and Ireland. Post that, Bangladesh will return to Oman for the first round of the tournament. In another big news coming in from the Bangladesh squad, Mahmudullah Riyad may not feature in their opening warm-up game against Sri Lanka due to an injury concern.
Notably, Bangladesh will begin its T20 World Cup campaign on October 17 at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground against Scotland. They will then face Oman and Papua New Guinea at the same venue on October 19 and 21 respectively. It is worth highlighting that Bangladesh have displayed great form, albeit against second-string sides, but have managed to emerge victorious in series against Zimbabwe, Australia and New Zealand.
Bangladesh squad: Mahmudullah Riyad (captain), Mohammad Naim Sheikh, Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shamim Hossain
Travelling Reserve: Rubel Hossain