Sohag Gazi to play for Bangladesh after clean chit from ICC
Bangladesh offspinner Sohag Gazi has been recalled for the two-match T20 series against South Africa which is scheduled to start on July 5th. He has been included in the squad for the first time since his bowling action was given clean chit by the ICC in February.
Rubel Hossain and Jubair Hossain, who were a part of the ODI team in the recently concluded series against India have also made it to the squad. Gazi, Jubair and Rubel have replaced Mohammad Mahmudullah, Taskin Ahmed and Abul Hasan, who were a part of the T20 squad that played against Pakistan this April.
Gazi played his last international match in August last year before being suspended for illegal bowling action in October. He played the domestic season in 2014-15 and took 37 wickets in nine first-class matches with an impressive average of 37.94. He also took 17 list “A” wickets. His contribution with the bat has also been noteworthy as he scored two centuries and two half-centuries in the same season.
The chief selector of Bangladesh, Faruque Ahmed, stated that Gazi would play the role of a specialist off-spinner in the squad.
"We wanted a specialist off-spinner so we picked Sohag Gazi. He has been out for a while now, but now he is back with a new action," Faruque was quoted saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Hossain will debut for the Bangladesh’s T20 side this series. He hasn’t played any recognised T20 matches in his short domestic career.
Mahmudullah is in the recovery process after he was ruled out of the Test and ODI series last month after a finger injury. Taskin too is out of the squad after a rib injury incurred during a training session.
Faruque said that Mahmudullah hasn’t "sufficiently recovered" to join the team. Abul Hasan last appeared for Bangladesh against Pakistan in the first ODI.
Bangladesh T20 squad: Mashrafe Mortaza (Captain), Tamim Iqbal, Litton Das (Wicket-keeper), Rony Talukdar, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan (Vice Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Jubair Hossain, Sohag Gazi, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman.
Bangladesh Cricket Board XI squad for practice match: Imrul Kayes (Captain), Anamul Haque (Wicket-keeper), Rony Talukdar, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahmudul Hasan, Saikat Ali, Shuvagata Hom, Abdur Razzak, Sohag Gazi, Al-Amin Hossain, Abul Hasan, Kamrul Islam Rabbi.
Bangladesh are hoping that the players recover soon and the team can play to their strengths.