Dhaka – Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) included all-rounder Farhad Reza and pacer Taskin Ahmed in the Tigers’ squad for the Ireland tri-series slated to start next month.
The board confirmed the move in a press release on Sunday.Bangladesh and West Indies will join hosts Ireland in the series slated to be played between May 5 and 17.
Taskin and Farhad’s inclusion in the squad is a precautionary step, said BCB’s Cricket Operation Committee Chairman Akram Khan.
“We selected 17 players for the tri-series. But now, we’re including Farhad and Taskin following a request from head coach Steve Rhodes. I hope they’ll prove their worth in Ireland,” Akram said.
Some of Bangladesh’s players are not at their best due to injuries. “They’ve already recovered but need more time to get back to their best. So, the head coach requested the board to add more names,” he told the media.
Farhad Reza, the 32-year-old all-rounder, last played for the Tigers in 2014. His last appearance was in a T20 International while he played an ODI back in 2011 against Pakistan in Chattogram.
But he had been performing well in domestic cricket.
In the just-concluded Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, he took 38 wickets in 16 matches. He also recorded a five-wicket haul. Farhad also scored 207 runs with a strike rate of 152.2.
He was also in form during the last edition of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) where he took 17 wickets in 14 matches for Rangpur Riders.
On the other hand, Taskin suffered an ankle injury during the last BPL. He took 22 wickets in 12 matches which had paved his way to the national side for New Zealand tour. But he had to sit out due to injury.
Since then, Taskin was under BCB rehabilitation programme and recovered well. The right-arm pacer played three matches for Legends of Rupganj in the Super League stage of Dhaka League and scalped six wickets.
He was earlier overlooked by BCB during the selection of the World Cup squad.
“Taskin is doing well in net sessions as our bowling coach Courtney Walsh told us. So, we’ve decided to give him another chance. If he performs well in Ireland, he might get more chances in the national side,” Akram said.UNB
