Mustafizur Rahman last played ODI cricket during the Champions Trophy in June 2017

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Bangladesh have included left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman and retained batsman Sabbir Rahman for the first two matches of the upcoming tri-series against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

Mustafizur sustained an ankle injury prior to Bangladesh’s last ODI assignment in South Africa, while Sabbir recently lost his central contract, was fined Tk 20 lakh and banned from playing domestic cricket for six months, for assaulting a fan.

Meanwhile, pace bowler Taskin Ahmed has been dropped for the first time in ODIs after he endured a disappointing tour of South Africa, where he took two wickets in 61 overs.

Batsman Soumya Sarkar suffered the same fate as he has managed to score just two fifties in his last 15 ODI innings spanning back to September 2016. Furthermore, he averaged just 24.30 with the bat in 11 innings last year.

Liton Das, Mominul Haque and Shafiul Islam were also dropped.

As a result, Mustafizur, Anamul Haque, Mohammad Mithun, Abul Hasan and Sunzamul Islam were all drafted into the team.

The ODI tri-series gets underway on January 15.

Bangladesh’s squad for the first two matches: Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Anamul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mohammad Mithun, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Abul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Saifuddin, Sunzamul Islam