Naim Sheikh earns recall for Sri Lanka ODIs

Naim Sheikh has earned a recall to the Bangladesh one-day international (ODI) squad after nearly two years. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 16-member team for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.

Naim returns after almost two years. © Getty

The ODI series between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is scheduled from July 2-8. The first two matches will be held in Colombo, while the final game will take place in Pallekele.

Alongside Naim Sheikh, several other players are making their return to the ODI squad. These include Litton Das, Shamim Patwary, Tanvir Islam, and Hasan Mahmud. Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah have retired from ODI cricket following their participation in the Champions Trophy. Soumya Sarkar and Nasum Ahmed were not selected for this series.

Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman are also back in the national setup after recovering from injuries that kept them out of the T20Is.

Naim Sheikh has played eight ODIs, scoring 95 runs since his debut against Zimbabwe in Sylhet in March 2020. "I think he changed his batting intent and pattern, and that is what we are looking for from the third opener. Tamim and Emon have their own batting styles, and we are looking for someone to bat with similar aggression," said BCB chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain.

Ashraf Hossain also noted the inclusion of five pace bowlers to manage workload, as some players are returning from injuries. "You have to understand we have picked five pacers as some of them have workload management while others are returning from injuries," he stated.

Soumya Sarkar's absence is due to an injury that sidelined him for most of last year. There are also ongoing concerns about his back spasms, according to Ashraf.

Bangladesh ODI Squad:

Mehidy Hasan Miraz (captain), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Naim Sheikh, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Litton Das, Jaker Ali Anik, Shamim Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana.