DHAKA, Feb 25, 2020 (BSS)- Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hassan Papon on Tuesday revealed the Asia XI which would play a two-match T20
series against World XI in Bangladesh to mark the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Papon said that they got a confirmation of four players from India, two
each from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan and one from Nepal to form the Asia XI,
in which five Bangladeshi players would also join.
Amongst the Indian cricketers, the BCB got confirmation of the name of
Shikhar Dhawan, Rishab Pant, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Shami. Apart from
them, KL Rahul is confirmed to play one T20 match while the BCB is yet to get
the confirmation about India captain Virat Kohli.
“It is confirmed that Rahul will play a match, while we are trying to
include Kohli for at least one match. The discussion is going on about Kohli.
It is not finalized yet,” he told the reporters here on Tuesday.
“We’ve confirmed Rashid Khan and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman from Afghanistan. Lasith
Malinga and Kusal Perera from Sri Lanka are confirmed. Besides, Sandip
Lamichane is confirmed from Nepal.”
It is not clear whether all of the five Bangladeshi players will get the
chance to play all the two matches, specially when there were star players in
abundance in Asia XI.
But Papon said they would try to include as many Bangladeshi players as
they can in at least one match. From Bangladesh, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur
Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mustafizur Rahman and Liton Das would be the part
of the Asia XI.
“Tamim and Mushfiqur Rahim confirmed to play all of the two matches. In at
least one match, we’ll try to include Bangladeshi players as many as we can,”
the BCB head added.
He also said that they would get four or five players from South Africa and
West Indies to form the World XI.
“Four or five players are coming from South Africa and West Indies. Since
Australia and New Zealand have been in continuous cricket, I’m yet to get any
idea how many players would come from there. Jonny Bairstow will come from
England. There is possibility that Chris Gayle will play. Faf Du Plessis is
also confirmed.”
The BCB is yet to finalize the captain of the two teams and the date of the
two matches but it will be held between March 18 to 21.
“In the next board meeting we’ll finalize the captain of the two teams and
the date of the matches,” he concluded.