Bangladesh will face hosts Sri Lanka in a must-win contest in their final league match of the tournament today. They have lost to India twice in the tournament but defeated Sri Lanka on their first meeting by completing their record-run chase.
“Shakib will join the squad today and we will assess him further to see if he can play in our next game,” selector Habibul Bashar said. Shakib, who normally skippers Bangladesh’s short-format side, was ruled out of the tournament after sustaining a finger injury in a one-day international against Sri Lanka in January. Batsman Mahmudullah Riyad has been acting captain in the tri-series against Sri Lanka and India. Bangladesh Cricket Board could not immediately confirm if Shakib would return as captain if he was included in the final eleven.
The board’s president and several directors were in Sri Lanka and would decide on the captaincy, said BCB spokesman Jalal Yunus. Bangladesh interim coach Courtney Walsh said any decisions about Shakib taking to the pitch or returning as captain would be made in the interest of the team.
“If he is fit enough to play, then someone of his class and calibre we will have to consider,” he told reporters in Colombo.
Sri Lanka coach Chandika Hathurusingha said it would be “a desperate measure” to put Shakib on the field before he was ready.
“If he is really fit, then I think they have advantage, because he is the world’s number one all-rounder and we all know that he is a quality player,” he told reporters.
Meanwhile, Walsh urged his bowlers to bring consistency against Sri Lanka. The T20 minnows have triumphed in just one of their matches in Colombo, with their bowlers struggling in batting-friendly conditions throughout the tournament at R. Premadasa Stadium.
Rubel Hossain has displayed the most consistency with four wickets but paceman Mustafizur Rahman has proved costly with an economy rate of close to 10. Walsh expects the best from his wards.
“The bowlers have not bowled consistently as we would have liked but that does not mean they are bad bowlers overnight,” Walsh said. “The improvement is coming but probably not quick as we would have liked. It is different conditions and they are trying to get it right.”
The West Indian great said he hoped Mustafizur “comes back to his best”, adding he showed moments of brilliance in the Pakistan Super League. Walsh, who has been working with Bangladesh’s bowlers since 2016, was assigned coach for the tri-series after Hathurusingha quit.