Wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan Sohan has been ruled out of the Zimbabwe tour after suffering a blow on his finger, BCB confirmed.  Nurul was leading the Bangladesh team in the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. Bangladesh lost the first match of the series but won the second match under his leadership. Nurul was appointed as Bangladesh’s T20I captain right before the ongoing series. He replaced Mahmudullah Riyad. Read:Bangladesh level series with comfortable win It’s not clear if BCB would call a replacement for Nurul.  The wicketkeeper-batter hurt his left index finger while keeping against fast bowler Hasan Mahmud during the 2nd T20I at the Harare Sports Club which Bangladesh won by 7 wickets.  “We did an X-ray which revealed a fracture to the index finger,” Bangladesh physio Muzadded Alpha Sany said. “Such injuries take about three weeks to recover. He is therefore out of Tuesday’s last T20 match and the upcoming ODI series.” After the T20I series, Bangladesh will play a three-match ODI series against the hosts starting on August 5 at the Harare Sports Club. All the matches will be played at the same venue. 

While Zimbabwe scored more than 70 runs in the last five overs, Bangladesh managed to score less than 50 runs there, and it made the difference between the two teams in the first match of the three-match T20I series on Saturday at Harare. Bangladesh lost the match by 17 runs while chasing a big total of 205 runs. Bangladesh has won a T20I chasing 200 or more just once before. Wesley Madhevere and Sikandar Raza hit a fifty each to guide the hosts to their huge total. In reply, Bangladesh tumbled to 188 for six in 20 overs and endured a defeat— their 20th T20I defeat in 33 matches in the last two years. Also read: Bangladesh need 206 to win 1st T20 against Zimbabwe Liton Das, Anamul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Nurul Hasan Sohan all had secured good starts, but none was able to guide the team to the victory. Except for Anamul, the rest of the others batted at a strike rate of more than 140. But they were bettered by the disciplined bowling by the hosts. Captain Sohan remained unbeaten on 42 off 26 balls. He hit one four and four sixes. For Zimbabwe, Luke Jongwe took two wickets. His best over was the 19th over when he conceded only four runs. Bangladesh needed 32 in the last two overs. Also read: Bangladesh bowl first in T20I series opener Earlier, Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to bat first. Zimbabwe lost their first wicket in just 15 runs on the board and another wicket when they were batting at 43 runs. In the third wicket stand, Madhevere and Sean Williams added 56 runs off just 37 balls. After Williams fell for 33 off 19 balls, Raza joined Madhevere and added 91 runs in 43 balls. Bangladeshi bowlers failed to contain the runs against the host batters. Mustafizur Rahman, the left-arm seamer, bagged two wickets but conceded 50 runs while Taskin Ahmed failed to grab any wickets but conceded 42 runs. The other pacer, Shoriful Islam, conceded 45 runs but couldn't get any wicket. Sohan, the wicketkeeper-batter, was leading Bangladesh for the first time in this match. He replaced Mahmudullah Riyad after Bangladesh’s defeat to the West Indies in a recent T20I series. . The second and third matches of the T20I series will take place on July 31 and August 2. All the matches will be played at the same venue— the Harare Sports Club.

After being named as the captain of the Bangladesh T20I team for the upcoming Zimbabwe tour, Nurul Hasan Sohan Sunday said he is up for new challenges. Bangladesh will take part in a three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. Sohan replaced Mahmudullah Riyad, who recently led the team in the West Indies but failed to impress. The wicketkeeper-batter has played 33 T20I matches so far. But he is yet to cement his place in the national team. "It's a proud moment for me," Sohan told the media. "And at the same time, it's a challenge for me. But, I'm ready for it." The appointment of Sohan as T20I captain was a surprising move from the board. It was expected that Shakib Al Hasan would lead the team if Riyad had to be replaced. However, Sohan has the experience of leading teams at age-level cricket. He led several teams in the Bangladesh Premier League, Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, National Cricket League and Bangladesh Cricket League. Read:Mashrafe, Mushfiq congratulate new T20 captain Sohan He played 93 first-class matches along with more than a hundred List-A and T20 matches in the domestic arena. "I do not buckle under pressure," Sohan said. "I don't think much about the past or future. What I love to do is to work hard and continue the process." Sohan will not get the services of Tamim Iqbal, Shakib, Mushfiuqr Rahim and Riyad. Shakib is out of the team due to personal reasons; Mushfiq and Riyad have been rested. And Tamim recently announced retirement from T20s. Bangladesh has played 128 T20I matches so far. And on only one occasion, they played without these four players. The Tigers are scheduled to start their Zimbabwe tour on July 27. The first group of cricketers will fly for Zimbabwe on July 27 and the second group on July 30. Bangladesh will also play a three-match ODI series against the hosts. All the matches will be played at the Harare Sports Club Ground.

Wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan Sohan has been named the new Bangladesh captain for T20s, according to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). He will lead the Tigers in the upcoming Zimbabwe tour, replacing all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad, a BCB official said Friday. Before making the decision public, the BCB selectors and high-profile directors had a meeting with Riyad. Sohan has years of experience of leading Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, the most prestigious domestic cricket event in Bangladesh. Regular captain Mahmudullah Riyad had been leading the Tigers in T20s since February 2018. He failed to guide the team to T20 victories and could not perform well with the bat in the West Indies. Riyad was Bangladesh's captain in the last T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman. He led Bangladesh in 46 T20s, of which, the Tigers won 16. Also, the all-rounder is yet to prove his mettle as a batter in T20s. He has played 33 T20s so far and scored 271 runs at an average of 12.30. Riyad and other senior players Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim have been rested for T20Is, the BCB official said. However, the board earlier said it would send a full-strength squad to Zimbabwe. Read: Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi out of 2nd Test with knee injury The T20I series will begin on July 30. The last two matches of the series will take place on July 31 and August 2. After that, both teams will lock horns in a three-match ODI series. Mushfiqur and Hasan Mahmud will be part of the ODI team. Mushfiq missed the last series in the West Indies due to personal reasons. Right-arm pacer Hasan Mahmud played his last ODI in March 2021 against Dunedin. Bangladesh T20I squad Nurul Hasan Sohan (captain), Munim Shahriar, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Liton Das, Afif Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mutafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Parvez Hossain Emon Bangladesh ODI squad Tamim Iqbal (captain), Liton Das, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mosaddek Hossain, and Taijul Islam

Shakib Al Hasan will skip the Tigers' three-match ODI series against the Caribbeans and not play in the Zimbabwe series, according to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Bangladesh already lost the two-match Test series against the hosts West Indies to begin the tour. "Shakib informed us that he will not be available for the Zimbabwe tour," Jalal Yunus, chairman of the cricket operation of the BCB, told the media Thursday. "But other senior players will travel to Zimbabwe." Also Read: Shakib uncertain for West Indies ODIs Shakib recently returned as the captain of the Bangladesh Test team. He led the Tigers in the two-match series against the West Indies. The all-rounder batted well in the series, but his team failed to impress. Bangladesh's ODI series against the West Indies will take place on July 10, 13 and 16.

Bangladesh chief selector Minhajul Abedin says Shakib Al Hasan’s inclusion in the Zimbabwe tour for a Test, three ODIs and three T20Is will boost the confidence of the team. The allrounder missed the previous Test tour of Bangladesh to Sri Lanka, and he was also out of action during Bangladesh’s New Zealand tour earlier this year. Bangladesh national team will travel to Zimbabwe on June 29, and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Wednesday announced three different squads for this tour. Left-handed allrounder Shakib made it to all these squads. “It’s a plus point for us that we got our best player back into the setup,” Minhajul told the media in a press conference after announcing the team on Wednesday. “I believe the team will be boosted morally with this inclusion. I hope he will deliver well which eventually will help the team’s performance.” Also read: Shakib banned for three matches, fined Tk 5 lakh Bangladesh included newbie Shamim Hossain Patwary in the T20I squad. Shamim was one of Bangladesh’s main weapon during their U-19 World Cup-winning campaign in South Africa in 2020. “We have been observing him since he came into the High-performance Unit. He did well when Ireland Wolves toured Bangladesh this year. He also did well in the matches he got a chance at afterwards. We hope his skill will help the national team do well,” Minhajul added. Shamim played 19 List-A, 27 T20s and only First-class matches to the date. He is known as one of the best fielders who are currently playing in Bangladesh. The left-handed batsman is also capable of scoring runs quickly, and he can also be handy as a right-arm off-spin. Left-handed top-order batsman Soumya Sarkar has been omitted from the ODI squad. Minhajul said to pave way for a left-arm spinner, they considered resting Soumya from ODIs for now. Also read: DPL Super League begins Saturday without Shakib, Tamim “The team management wanted to have a left-arm spinner in the squad. So have decided to include Taijul Islam instead of Soumya, and we also added Nurul Hasan Sohan,” Minhajul told the media. Sohan is added to all three squads of the game for the Zimbabwe series. He has been doing tremendously well in the ongoing edition of the Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division Twenty20 League for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club. “His current form is enough to call him back to the national team,” Minhajul said about Sohan. “He did well in the practice sessions in Sri Lanka when he was in the primary squad. We believe he has the ability to do well for the national team.”

Bangladesh stalwart Mushfiqur Rahim hurt his left index finger ahead of the tour of Zimbabwe starting on June 29. The wicketkeeper-batsman will not take any part in the ongoing Super League phase of the Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division Twenty20 Cricket League due to the same. Mushfiqur was leading Abahani Limited in the league. Abahani are currently fighting for the title with Prime Bank Cricket Club. The right-handed batsman sustained the blow during Abahani’s Super League clash against Gazi Group Cricketers. A CT scan was held by the BCB medical department on Tuesday morning. “Mushfiqur sustained a hairline fracture on his left index finger, and we have advised him to take a rest of one week,” Debashis Chowdhury, the chief physician of BCB told the media. “Since it’s not serious, we think his Zimbabwe tour will not be affected. Still we will have another review after one week.” Bangladesh will play a one-off Test, and three ODIs and three T20Is during the Zimbabwe tour. Muhsfiqur has already informed the board that he won’t be available for the T20Is series against Zimbabwe. He, however, will take part in Test and ODIs. In the Dhaka League, Mushfiqur was doing well scoring 267 runs in an average over 38 and strike rate over 130. Due to his absence, Abahani might face difficulties in the remaining part of the league.