Mustafizur Rahman included in Bangladesh A squad for NZ-A series
What's the story
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has included fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman in the 15-member squad for Bangladesh A's upcoming series against New Zealand A.
This is part of BCB's strategy to prepare him for future international matches.
The pacer recently returned to competitive cricket after getting a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection on March 12, which is known to stimulate healing and reduce inflammation.
Comeback
Mustafizur's return and performance
After recovering, Mustafizur returned to competitive cricket by playing in the Dhaka Premier League, Bangladesh's traditional List A tournament.
He was picked by Mohammedan Sporting Club to play in the super league phase of the tournament.
So far, he has played three matches and taken five wickets.
BCB chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain said they included Mustafizur in the A team "to make him ready for the upcoming international fixture."
Team composition
Bangladesh A squad for New Zealand A series
The squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand A has a blend of experienced campaigners and young guns.
Apart from Mustafizur, seasoned players such as Anamul Haque Bijoy, Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan, and Mosaddek Hossain Saikat have also been named.
"We are expecting the series to be highly competitive," Hossain said about the squad selection.
Series details
New Zealand A tour schedule
New Zealand A's tour of Bangladesh will kick off on May 1, with a three-match one-day and two-match four-day series.
The matches will be played in Sylhet and Dhaka. The one-day series will begin on May 5 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium (SICS) with the second and third matches on May 7 and 10 respectively.
Format switch
Four-day matches to follow 1-day series
After the limited-overs matches, both teams will switch to red-ball cricket for the four-day games.
The first match is scheduled from May 14-17 in Sylhet, while the final match will be played at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka from May 21-24.