Dhaka – Bangladesh will face hosts South Africa in the 1st T20I of the two-match series at Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Thursday.The match will begin at 10pm Bangladesh time with all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan leading the Bangladesh side for the first time after he was appointed T20I captain in April last after the retirement of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.There are four changes brought in the Bangladesh line-up from their last T20I squad which played against Sri Lanka in April.Mashrafe Bin Moratza retired from the format while Tamim Iqbal, Mustafizur Rahman and Mosaddek Hossain were out due to injuries. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 14-man squad dropping Nurul Hasan, Sanjamul Islam and Subashis Roy who were available in the 16-man squad against Sri Lanka.Top order batsman Mominul Haque, Liton Kumar Das, all-rounder Nasir Hossain, pacers Rubel Hossain and Shafiul Islam got the call in the 14-member team.In the absence of Faf du Plessis, South Africa will have a slightly shortened batting line-up, more so if David Miller is unfit for selection. They could allow Andile Phehlukwayo to display his much-vaunted finishing skills and Robbie Frylinck could make his debut and lead an inexperienced pack.The Tigers have no win record against South Africa in their four encounters in this shortest format since September 2007.In their current tour, Bangladesh suffered 2-0 whitewash in two-match Test series followed by 3-0 in the three-match ODI series.The 2nd and last T20I will be held at Senwes Park in Potchefstrool on October 29 from 6:30pm Bangladesh time.Bangladesh best XI (probable): Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Liton Kumar Das/Nasir Hossain, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shafiul Islam and Rubel Hossain.South Africa best XI (probable): Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy (captain), David Miller/Mangaliso Mosehle, Andile Phehlukwayo, Robbie Frylinck, Dane Paterson, Beuran Hendricks and Aaron Phangiso/Tabraiz Shamsi.UNB news agency
