United News of Bangladesh

A finger injury ruled Mehidy Hasan Miraz out of the first Test against Sri Lanka that will begin on May 15 in Chattogram.  To replace Mehidy, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) added right-arm spinner Nayeem Hasan to the 15-man squad. “Miraz dislocated his right little finger while trying to take a catch in a match on 24 April. An X-ray has revealed a small avulsion fracture,” Dr Debashis Chowdhur, the chief physician of BCB, said in a statement. “A splint has been used to support and protect the injured area. Initial assessments suggest that the recovery could take at least three weeks which effectively rules him out of the first Test against Sri Lanka,” he added. Mehidy sustained the blow on his right small finger during a Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League match. READ: Anamul's record-breaking season keeps getting better The Sri Lanka cricket team will arrive in Bangladesh on May 8 for a two-match series. This series is a part of the 2021-2023 ICC World Test Championship. While the first Test will be played at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on May 15, the second Test commences at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on May 23. Bangladesh squad (for 1st Test): Mominul Haque(Captain), Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Yasir Ali, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Ebadot Hossain, Khaled Ahmed, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Shohidul Islam, Shoriful Islam (subject to fitness)

The Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League's traditional one-day format returned this year after a two-year break owing to the coronavirus epidemic. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club have clinched the DPL 2022 title, their first trophy in the Dhaka Premier League. Individually, top-order batter Anamul Haque Bijoy has had a fantastic season, while young, up-and-coming spinner Rakibul Hasan has been a revelation with the ball. Let's look at some of the key takeaways from the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League in 2022. Dhaka Premier League 2022: Noteworthy Performers The Dhaka Premier Cricket League 2022 consists of 73 matches, with three matches remaining until the season ends. This season has seen some truly phenomenal performances. Let's take a look at some of the most notable ones. Batting Anamul Haque Bijoy of Prime Bank Cricket Club has been the most in-form player this season. This right-handed top-order batter has set the DPL record for most runs scored in a single season. Anamul Haque Bijoy is also the only player in the history of the Dhaka Premier League to score 1,000 runs in a single season. With an average of 80.15, he has 1,042 runs in 14 innings. Anamul has amassed three hundred and eight half-centuries. The highlight of Anamul's season is his swashbuckling 184-run effort against Shinepukur Cricket. He can improve his record even further with one more match remaining. Bijoy's uncanny consistency has caught the attention of the selectors, and he deserves another chance to represent his country. Read DPL 2022: Sheikh Jamal win championship, while Khelaghar are relegated Apart from Anamul Bijoy; Naeem Islam of Legends of Rupganj (836 in 14 innings), Mosaddek Hossain of Abahani (658 in 14 innings), and Zakir Hossain of Rupganj Tigers (627 in 14 innings) have also had successful DPL 2022 season with the bat. Bowling Slow left-arm orthodox spinner, Rakibul Hasan has been the most successful bowler in the tournament on slow surfaces in Dhaka. He has been a reliable wicket-taker for his team, Prime Bank Cricket Club. Rakibul Hasan has 27 wickets in 14 innings with an average of 20.33. 4/40 has been his best bowling figure this season. Apart from Rakibul Hasan, Parvez Rasool of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club (26 wickets in 14 innings), CS Jani of Legends of Rupganj (25 wickets in 14 innings), Tanvir Islam of Abahani Ltd (21 wickets in 14 innings), and Masum Khan of Khelaghar Samaj Kallayan Samity (20 wickets in 12 innings) have all taken over 20 wickets so far this season. Read IPL 2022: Halfway Through, Playoffs Qualification Scenarios for Ten Teams Others There have been three 200+ partnerships this season. The 238-run third-wicket stand between CS Jani and Naeem Islam against Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club has been the best thus far. Tamim Iqbal and Anamul Haque's match-winning 234*-run stand against Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club was awe-inspiring. Imrul Kayes, Shykat Ali, and CS Jani have each taken 10 catches this season. In wicket-keeping, City Club's Shahriar Komol has the most dismissals with 19 thus far. Gazi Group Cricketers Akbar Ali (18), Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club's Zakir Hasan (17), and Abahani Limited's Jaker Ali (16) have all had a successful season with gloves. Aftermath  The primary talking point in the DPL 2022 has been Anamul Haque's record-breaking run with the bat. This right-handed batter has shown throughout the tournament that he is still a capable top-order batter who can consistently score runs. Furthermore, some young and prospective cricketers played well in this year's event, which is promising for Bangladesh cricket. Overall, the 2022 Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League has been a success, with some exciting matches. Read BAN vs SL Series 2022: Bangladesh Test Squad Analysis

The eighth season of the Dhaka Premier League (after receiving List A status) will come to an end on Thursday (April 28) with one more round in both the Super League and relegation phase. The winner of the DPL 2022 was determined on April 26. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club won their first-ever Dhaka Premier League trophy after defeating Abahani Limited by four wickets in Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla cricket stadium on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity cricket team has been relegated to the Dhaka first division cricket league. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Crowned Champions The Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club enjoyed a considerable edge before the Super League commenced. They were four points ahead of Abahani Limited, who were in the second position. All they needed to do was keep up the momentum into the Super League phase. Sheikh Jamal has done just that, winning three of their four games in this phase to win the title for the first time. They have one more encounter against the Legends of Rupganj on Thursday. This game is crucial for the Legends to finish second in the DPL 2022 competition. Read: Nurul Hasan guides Sheikh Jamal to maiden DPL title Abahani Limited will meet Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club, while Prime Bank Cricket Club will face Gazi Group Cricketers in the last two Super League matches. Prime Bank will strive for a second-place finish, while Abahani Limited will aim for a third-place finish. Gazi Group Cricketers and Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club will compete for fifth and sixth places, respectively in the 2022 Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League. Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity Down At the end of the group stage, Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity, City Club, and Brothers Union were the bottom three clubs. Brothers Union and City Club had shown some battling spirit to avoid relegation, but the Khelaghar team had been decimated from the start of the campaign. They only won one game in the group phase, and they won the same number of games in the relegation phase. Khelaghar were demoted to the first division league after finishing the Dhaka Premier League 2022 season with only four points. Read: Anamul's record-breaking season keeps getting better With six points apiece, Brothers Union and City Club finished ninth and tenth, respectively, at the end of the league phase. Therefore, they enjoyed a substantial edge before the start of the relegation phase. Brothers Union escaped relegation after defeating Khelaghar by 8 wickets on April 21. City Club were defeated by Khelaghar by 85 runs in their first match of this phase, while their match against Brother Union was called off due to inclement weather. Aftermath  For the first time ever, Bangladesh's Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club won Bangladesh's most prestigious club cricket championship. They were by far the best team in the competition and deservedly won the DPL 2022 tournament with a game to spare. On the other hand, Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity struggled all through the tournament and are down to the first division with only two victories this season.

An imperious Anamul Haque Bijoy became the first batter to cross 1000 runs in a single season of the Dhaka Premier League since the competition was awarded List-A cricket status in 2013.  In the fourth round of the Super League phase of DPL on Tuesday, Anamul scored the 15th ton in his List-A career, and with this ton, he completed 1000 runs. It was his third century in this season of the Dhaka League. After 14 matches, Anamuld scored 1042 runs at an outstanding average of 80.15 with a strike rate of 97.47. He also scored eight fifties along with hitting 44 sixes— most by any batter in the league.  In the league’s 2019 edition, Saif Hassan scored 814 runs which remained the best batting performance after the league won the List-A status. Anamul surpassed Saif in this league and raised the bar to 1000.  READ: BAN vs SL Series 2022: Bangladesh Test Squad Analysis Along with making this record, Anamul scored 184 in a match which is the highest by any batter in this edition of the Dhaka League.  Anamul played his last international match back in 2019 in Sri Lanka. He failed to impress the selectors in that series and subsequently lost his place in the national team.  The right-handed batter did not stop working hard to improve his game and proved that he was on the right track. The ongoing edition of the Dhaka League came as another demonstration of his batsmanship. Recently, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, the former Bangladesh captain, said that Anamul has improved a lot and the batter deserves to be close to the national team.

Another matchwinning knock by Nurul Hasan Sohan guided his team Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club to their maiden title in the Dhaka Premier League on Tuesday beating Abahani Limited by four wickets. In pursuit of 230 in Mirpur, Sheikh Jamal lost five wickets before posting 100 runs on the board. Nurul Hasan, the captain of Sheikh Jamal, came to the wicket at number seven and ended up winning the match scoring 81 off 81 balls with eight fours and two sixes. On the seventh wicket, Ziaur Rahman and Nurul added 82 runs, to guide their team to an imperious record-making win. For Abahani, Mohammad Saifuddin scalped two wickets. Earlier, Abahani posted 229 for six in 50 overs with the fifty of Towhid Hridoy. Wicket-keeper batter Jaker Ali was the second-highest runs scorer for them with 47. Saifuddin, the right-handed allrounder, posted 44 off just 33 balls with five sixes as well.  For Sheikh Jamal, Ziaur Rahman scalped two wickets. With this win, Sheikh Jamal secured 24 points from 12 wins in 14 matches so far in the league. They still have a match to play. But even a defeat in the last match won’t be able to change their top place. The team that has the second-highest points- 20 points- is Legends of Rupganj. READ: Former South Africa cricket captain Smith cleared of racism In the other fourth-round matches of the Super League phase of Dhaka League, Legends of Rupganj beat Gazi Group Cricketers by 196 runs. Sabbir Rahman hit 90 for Rupganj while Shakib Al Hasan scored 59 off 26 balls.  Riding on their batting performance, Rupganj posted 293 for 9 wickets in 50 overs. In reply, Gazi Group tumbled for 97 with Chirag Jani bagging five wickets for Rupganj. Sabbir won the player of the match award.  In another match of the day, Prime Bank Cricket Club beat Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club by 10 wickets riding on the centuries of Anamul Haque Bijoy and Tamim Iqbal. These two have come up with an opening partnership of 234 runs. And with the century in this match, Anamul completed 1000 runs in this league. Anamul’s 1000 is now the best batting performance in Dhaka League since it attained the List-A status in 2013. 

The Indian Premier League's 15th season began on March 26, with 10 franchises competing in this year's edition. A total of 74 matches are to be played in the IPL 2022, with 38 of them already finished. With half of the league stage matches completed, the current position of each team in the point standings is becoming apparent. The Gujarat Titans currently top the points table with 12 points, while the Mumbai Indians, the five-time champions, are in the last position with no wins. Let's have a look at the ten-team IPL 2022 playoffs qualification scenarios. Scenarios for the IPL 2022 Playoffs The fifteenth season of the Indian Premier League has reached the halfway mark. The points table scenario is discussed here. Gujarat Titans Gujarat Titans are having a fantastic season in the IPL 2022. They have only lost one of their seven games so far. The Gujarat Titans are expected to win as many points as possible in the next seven matches in order to finish first in the standings and proceed to the playoff round to play qualifier 1. Read Former South Africa cricket captain Smith cleared of racism Remaining Fixtures: Sunrisers Hyderabad (April 27), Royal Challengers Bangalore (April 30), Punjab Kings (May 3), Mumbai Indians (May 6), Lucknow Super Giants (May 10), Chennai Super Kings (May 15), Royal Challengers Bangalore (May 19) Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Lucknow Super Giants, and Royal Challengers Bangalore With 10 points apiece, Hyderabad, Rajasthan, Lucknow, and Bangalore are in second, third, and fourth position, respectively. The net run rates are separating each other in the points standings. They are all in solid positions in the points table and poised to make a push for the top four. Remaining Fixtures (Sunrisers Hyderabad):  Gujarat Titans (April 27), Chennai Super Kings (May 1), Delhi Capitals (May 5), Royal Challengers Bangalore (May 8), Kolkata Knight Riders (May 14), Mumbai Indians (May 17), Punjab Kings (May 22).  Read BAN vs SL Series 2022: Bangladesh Test Squad Analysis Remaining Fixtures (Rajasthan Royals):  Royal Challengers Bangalore (April 26), Mumbai Indians (April 30), Kolkata Knight Riders (May 2), Punjab Kings (May 7), Delhi Capitals (May 11), Lucknow Super Giants (May 15), Chennai Super Kings (May 20) Remaining Fixtures (Lucknow Super Giants):  Punjab Kings (April 29), Delhi Capitals (May 1), Kolkata Knight Riders (May 7), Gujarat Titans (May 10), Rajasthan Royals (May 15), Kolkata Knight Riders (May 18) Remaining Fixtures (Royal Challengers Bangalore):  Rajasthan Royals (April 26), Gujarat Titans (April 30), Chennai Super Kings (May 4), Sunrisers Hyderabad (May 8), Punjab Kings (May 13), Gujarat Titans (May 19). Read BAN vs SL Series 2022: Mustafizur's versatile bowling could have been beneficial for Bangladesh Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Chennai Super Kings Punjab are in the sixth position with eight points from eight games, followed by Delhi and Kolkata, both with six points. Chennai are in ninth place with four points. Among these clubs, Punjab have a greater chance of making the playoffs than the rest. However, Delhi and Kolkata can advance to the next round if they win their remaining games. On the other hand, Chennai have a very slim chance of making the playoffs. Remaining Fixtures (Punjab Kings): Lucknow Super Giants (April 29), Gujarat Titans (May 3), Rajasthan Royals (May 7), Royal Challengers Bangalore (May 13), Delhi Capitals (May 16), Sunrisers Hyderabad (May 22) Remaining Fixtures (Delhi Capitals):  Kolkata Knight Riders (April 28), Lucknow Super Giants (May 1), Sunrisers Hyderabad (May 5), Chennai Super Kings (May 8), Rajasthan Royals (May 11), Punjab Kings (May 16), Mumbai Indians (May 21). Read IPL 2022: Jos Buttler's Record-Breaking Knock Helps Rajasthan Reach the Top Remaining Fixtures (Kolkata Knight Riders):  Delhi Capitals (April 28), Rajasthan Royals (May 2), Lucknow Super Giants (May 7), Mumbai Indians (May 9), Sunrisers Hyderabad (May 14), Lucknow Super Giants (May 18)  Mumbai Indians The most successful team in IPL history, Mumbai Indians are yet to win a game this season. They presently have 0 points and are at the bottom of the standings. In reality, the Rohit Sharma-led team has no chance of progressing to the next round. Aftermath The top four teams in the points table will advance to the playoffs. As a result, teams compete against one another to finish in the top four positions in the standings. As of now, the Gujarat Titans are in a prime position to qualify for the playoffs as the first team. Apart from that, the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Lucknow Super Giants, and Royal Challengers Bangalore are all in fine shape in their quest for a playoffs berth. Mumbai Indians, who have failed to gain a point after eight IPL 2022 group matches, are virtually out of playoffs contention among the bottom teams.  Read Sheikh Jamal, Legends of Rupganj in Pole Position to Win DPL 2022

Former South Africa cricket captain Graeme Smith was cleared of racism allegations on Monday by an independent investigation that looked into claims that he used his influence to ensure a Black player wasn't selected while leading the team a decade ago. Smith had also been accused of being “racially biased” against Black colleagues in his role as South Africa's director of cricket after he retired from playing. And a third allegation was made against him that he was guilty of “unfair racial discrimination” when, in his role as director of cricket, he appointed former teammate Mark Boucher, who is white, as head coach of South Africa in 2019 ahead of another coach, Enoch Nkwe, who is Black. The accusations were made late last year in a report that emanated from a series of hearings designed to look into the culture of South African cricket as far back as the 1990s to establish if there was racism. That initial report made “tentative findings” against Smith but recommended a full investigation. Smith was cleared of all three accusations in a decision released Monday. Two independent lawyers ruled on the allegations and found no evidence of racism against Smith. With regard to the accusations against Smith while he was captain of the team, the investigation found that he had opposed the selection of Black player Thami Tsolekile for South Africa from 2012-14 but it was not proved “he did so by reason of Mr. Tsolekile’s race.” Also read: Sabbir denies allegation of racism against him by Elias The South African cricket federation had pursued the allegations and was ordered to pay Smith's legal costs. Smith's contract as director of cricket expired at the end of last month and Cricket South Africa board chairman Lawson Naidoo said he would be leaving the role for “new challenges.” Naidoo also said that “CSA appreciates it has been difficult for Mr. Smith to endure the unwarranted public disclosures of his personal information." Details of Smith's salary became public during the course of the investigation. Boucher, who is still South Africa coach, also faces allegations of racism in a disciplinary hearing that is scheduled for next month and could cost him his job. One of the allegations against the former South Africa wicketkeeper revolves around him singing a song in the changing room while he was a player in the 1990s that referenced the race of a Black teammate. Also read: Racism in Cricket: Five Racist Incidents in the Gentleman’s Game Smith and Boucher were stalwarts of the South Africa team during their playing days. Smith played 117 tests from 2002-14 and is the Proteas' longest-serving test captain. Boucher played 147 tests from 1997-2012, when his career was ended by a serious eye injury he suffered in a game.

The national men's cricket team of Sri Lanka is set to arrive in Bangladesh in the second week of May for a two-match Test series against the hosts. The series will begin in Chattogram on May 15 and will be part of the ICC Test Championship's second edition. The Bangladesh Cricket Board named a 16-man team for the longer-version contest on Sunday. The squad includes all of the expected names, ensuring that a full-strength team will challenge the Sri Lankan Test side. Check out Bangladesh's squad for the BAN vs SL series 2022. Bangladesh’s Test Squad for BAN vs SL Series 2022 The BCB named a 16-man squad on April 24 for the Test series against Sri Lanka. Shadman Islam and Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi were not selected for the upcoming series because of their recent performances on the international stage. In-form Taskin Ahmed was not selected due to an injury. Oppositely, Shoriful Islam was picked, although his participation in the series will be contingent on his fitness. Furthermore, left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman was not considered for this longer-version contest. Read: BAN vs SL Series 2022: Mustafizur's versatile bowling could have been beneficial for Bangladesh The ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who missed the South Africa series due to family obligations, has returned to the Test team. Promising cricketer Rejaur Rahman Raja has also been included in the squad as the fifth pacer. All of the anticipated names were selected for the Sri Lanka series, which will be led by Mominul Haque. Tamim Iqbal is poised to open Bangladesh's innings alongside promising youngster Mahmudul Hasan Joy. Bangladesh will have a good chance of winning the Test series because the Sri Lankan team is likely to be inexperienced. Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Test Series 2022 Fixtures First Test: May 15-19 May | Venue: ZACS, Chattogram Second Test: 23-27 May | Venue: SBNCS, Dhaka Read IPL 2022: Jos Buttler's Record-Breaking Knock Helps Rajasthan Reach the Top Bangladesh Squad:  Mominul Haque (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nurul Hasan, Yasir Ali, Mahedi Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Khaled Ahmed, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Shohidul Islam, Shoriful Islam. The Major Highlights of the Declared Squad Shadman Islam and Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi dropped The selectors decided to leave both Shadman Islam and Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi out of the series against Sri Lanka since they have struggled in the recent international Test series for Bangladesh. Shadman Islam has scored 284 runs in his past 14 innings, including a century and a half-century, according to statistics dating back to January 2021. On the other hand, Abu Jayed Rahi has only taken 6 wickets in his last six innings since 2021. Read: Bangladesh announces squad for Sri Lanka series Shakib Al Hasan is back in the squad Due to family obligations, Shakib Al Hasan was unable to participate in the Test series against South Africa. Shakib's mother was ill, and his mother-in-law died of cancer in April. Shakib's inclusion in the Bangladesh squad will undoubtedly benefit the team. Mustafizur Rahman overlooked Bangladesh's most talented pacer, Mustafizur Rahman last played a Test match in early 2021 against the West Indies, and he hasn't played any of Bangladesh's past ten Test matches. Mustafizur Rahman isn't interested in playing the longer-version format, preferring instead to concentrate on the shorter formats. However, Mustafizur's bowling could have been quite effective against Sri Lanka in Bangladesh's conditions. Mustafizur should have been selected for the series by the selectors. Read Mosharraf Hossain Rubel: The late cricketer's major achievements as a player Uncapped Rejaur Rahman Raja included  Pacer Rejaur Rahman Raja was named for the Pakistan series in December but did not play a single international match. The right-arm medium-fast bowler has 36 first-class wickets at an average of 24.61 in 11 matches. Rejaur Rahman's bowling abilities might surprise everyone if he is given a chance to play against Sri Lanka. Bottom Line Bangladesh team is expected to start the series against Sri Lanka as favourites, thanks to a full-strength Test lineup. Bangladesh will be able to overcome a relatively weak Sri Lankan Test side if they play to their full potential. Furthermore, this Sri Lankan squad recently suffered a humiliating defeat in a Test series against the Indian team. As a result, their confidence level would be a little lower when they encounter the hosts. Aside from that, there's a lot to play for, since this will be Bangladesh's fourth bilateral Test Championship contest. Bangladesh's standing in the ICC World Test Championship would improve significantly if they whitewash Sri Lanka. Read Sheikh Jamal, Legends of Rupganj in Pole Position to Win DPL 2022  

Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal hit 90 and his opening partner Anamul Haque Bijoy scored 52 to guide the Prime Bank Cricket Club to the top place of the Super League of Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League on Sunday. Riding on their performance, Prime Bank beat Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club by eight wickets. With this win, Prime Bank now have four points from three matches in this phase of the Dhaka League. Sheikh Jamal and Legends of Rupganj also have the same amount of points, but Prime Bank are ahead of them for their better run rate. Also read: DPL Super League: Sheikh Jamal secure top spot, Abahani suffer 2nd defeat Sheikh Jamal batted first on Sunday and scored 232 for eight in 50 overs. Nurul Hasan Sohan, the captain of Sheikh Jamal posted 71 for them while Mehidy Hassan Miraz scored 47. For Prime Bank, Taijul Islam scalped three wickets while Rakibul Hasan picked up two wickets. In reply, riding on the batting performance of Tamim and Bijoy, Prime Bank chased down the target in 40.2 overs with eight wickets in hand. Along with Tamim and Bijoy, Shahadat Dipu also hit a fifty. He ended up on 52. In the same round, Ababahi Limited beat Legends of Rupganj by 81 runs. Abahani batted first and posted 279. Najmul Hossain Shanto hit 86 for them while Afif Hossain scored 62. For Legends of Rupganj, Shakib Al Hasan bagged three wickets. In reply, Rupganj tumbled for 198. Mosaddek Hossain scalped four wickets for Abahani. Chirag Jani was the highest scorer for Legends of Rupganj with 48, but that was not enough for them to avoid a defeat. Also read: Bangladesh announces squad for Sri Lanka series In the other match, Fazle Mahmud Rabbi hit a ton for the Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club and helped his team to score a huge total of 314 for four. In reply, the Gazi Group tumbled for 230 and suffered a big defeat by 84 runs.

The BCB recently gave the left-arm bowler the go-ahead to play in the IPL instead of the Test series against South Africa. Bangladesh's selectors are not keen on Mustafizur's involvement in the Test format since the country has plenty of pace bowling alternatives and they didn’t pick him for the Sri Lanka series as well. However, Mustafizur could have led Bangladesh's pace attack in the BAN vs SL Series 2022 given the current batch of Bangladesh pacers' experience. Mustafizur Rahman’s Test Profile Mustafizur Rahman's recent performance in Test cricket is one of the key reasons why the Bangladeshi team management has been hesitant to pick him. The left-hand pacer hasn't been as outstanding as he was early in his career in the longer version format. Mustafizur made his Test debut in Chattogram against South Africa in 2015. He took four wickets in his first encounter and was named player of the match for his outstanding bowling performance. However, the left-hand pacer hasn't progressed much as a longer-version bowler. Read Bangladesh announces squad for Sri Lanka series Mustafizur's bowling average was 14.50 in 2015, which was a remarkable figure for a rookie bowler. Mustafizur had a respectable bowling average in 2017 and 2018. In 2017, he got a 36.38 bowling average, while in 2018, he had a 38.71 average. However, his Test performance has slipped in recent years, and he has only played in one Test match in each of the years 2019 and 2021. Mustafizur has yet to pick up a fifer for Bangladesh in Test format. Many argue that Mustafizur's lack of enthusiasm for the Test format has harmed his gameplay. He is now more interested in playing limited-overs cricket and the Indian Premier League since the shorter-version format provides players with more money than the longer-version format. That is why Mustafizur Rahman prefers to play for Bangladesh in ODIs and T20Is but not in Tests. Mustafizur Rahman last played a Test match in February 2021 against the West Indies. Bangladesh have played ten Test matches since then, but Mustafizur hasn't participated in any of them. Read IPL 2022: Jos Buttler's Record-Breaking Knock Helps Rajasthan Reach the Top Mustafizur Rahman’s Test Stats  Match Wickets BBI BBM Average Econ 4W 14 30 4/37 5/66 36.73 3.28 2    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Sheikh Jamal, Legends of Rupganj in Pole Position to Win DPL 2022 Why do Bangladesh need Mustafizur Rahman in the Test Series against Sri Lanka? Two of Bangladesh's most skilled bowlers, Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam will be unavailable for the Test series against Sri Lanka, which begins in mid-May. Though Shoriful’s participation in the series is subject to his fitness. Therefore, Bangladesh selectors picked Ebadot Hossain, Khaled Ahmed, and Shohidul Islam for the upcoming BAN vs SL Series 2022. However, none of the bowlers are well-known wicket-takers, and the hosts needed a fast bowler who can frighten the Lankan batting line-up on Bangladesh's slow surfaces. Read Mosharraf Hossain Rubel: The late cricketer's major achievements as a player Mustafizur Rahman could have been a good pace-bowling option on this kind of surface in this circumstance. He has a bowling average of 31.50 in Bangladesh, and, more importantly, his bowling style is ideal for these conditions. Sri Lankan batters could have been in real danger against Mustafizur's cutter and slower deliveries. Bottom Line  Mustafizur Rahman is an outstanding medium-pacer in the limited-overs format. He understands how to succeed on slow surfaces in Bangladesh. Mustafizur's bowing could have been crucial for Bangladesh against a less-experienced Sri Lankan Test side in the upcoming BAN vs SL Series 2022, despite his Test records not being as outstanding as his ODI or T20 stats. Read 2023 ICC Test Championship: Best batting and bowling performances thus far