Bangladesh selectors not to pick a back-up for Mortaza

Mashrafe Mortaza will not be playing the 1st ODI due to suspension

The Bangladesh selectors won’t be picking a replacement for their regular Captain Mashrafe Mortaza when the team takes to the field to play Pakistan in the first ODI on the 17th of April. Mortaza was suspended for one match following his side’s quarter-final defeat to India in the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup.

"We will select a 14-man squad so Mashrafe will be part of it. He will miss the first ODI due to suspension but we will not be replacing him in the squad," said Chief selector Faruque Ahmed. But their biggest headache would be finding a suitable opening partner for Tamim Iqbal.

Even though Anamul Haque has started batting in the nets slowly after undergoing a shoulder surgery last month, he is still not expected to be 100% fit before the 23rd of April. The other option would be Imrul Kayes, but he made a string of low scores in the World Cup which might force the selectors to go back to the domestic circuit.

The other issue that they will be facing is choosing a second spinner. Even though Bangladesh didn’t use two frontline spinners in the World Cup, they usually follow this strategy when they are playing at home. Arafat Sunny and Taijul Islam were in that 15 man squad and will naturally be in contention.

The second and third ODIs will be played on the 19th ?and 22nd respectively.