Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed has little chance of featuring
in their forthcoming two Tests against New Zealand due to the recurrence of his
shoulder pain, a Bangladesh Cricket Board official said.
‘Taskin has a slim chance of playing in the series as he has
not overcome his shoulder injury completely. He will undergo a scan shortly,
and the report will be revealed by the team physiotherapist,’ said the
official, citing anonymity, to New Age.
This means the hosts are going to miss the services of three
important campaigners — Shakib Al Hasan, Taskin, and Tamim Iqbal.
According to the source, Shakib, who fractured his left
index finger during the World Cup, will need four more weeks to recover
complete0ly.
‘I also can’t guarantee Shakib’s appearance as he would take
at least four more weeks to overcome his strain,’ he said.
Also, Tamim, who is suffering from a back injury and was
excluded from the World Cup squad, is also unlikely to play in the Test series
against the Blackcaps.
It was learned that, apart from the Test series, Taskin will
also miss the ODI leg of Bangladesh’s tour of New Zealand, which begins on
December 17, a week after the second Test ends.
The visiting Kiwis will arrive in Bangladesh on November 21
to mark the start of the third cycle of the ICC Test Championship.
The first match will begin on November 28 at the Sylhet
International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet, followed by the series finale starting
on December 6 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.
This series will be the first time Bangladesh will host New
Zealand in Tests since 2013 when the two-match series ended in a stalemate
following draws in both games.
