Published on 12:00 AM, February 26, 2017

Imrul in focus as 5th round begins

Bangladesh opener Imrul Kayes (R), currently out of the national squad because of fitness issues, talks to his South Zone coach Khaled Masud at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong yesterday, ahead of today's fifth-round BCL match against East Zone. Photo: prime bank

The focus will be on Imrul Kayes when the fifth round of the Bangladesh Cricket League begins today in Chittagong and Sylhet.

Recovering from a thigh muscle tear, the left-handed opener played the last round of the competition at BKSP but failed to get full marks in terms of fitness and so was not included in the squad for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.

But chief selector Minhajul Abedin told reporters while announcing the 16-member Test squad for the upcoming series that the opener may be included for the second Test in Sri Lanka if he is declared fully fit after the fifth round BCL match.

So the opener will be looking forward to overcome the hurdle when his side Prime Bank South Zone takes on Islami Bank East Zone at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong.

“After the fifth round, Imrul will face a fitness test on March 4 and if everything is okay then he will join the team. As he is also in our limited-overs plan, his inclusion in the team for the second Test would not be a problem at all,” Minhajul said last week.

Meanwhile, BCB North Zone will face off with Walton Central Zone at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in the other match. North Zone and South Zone have 12 points each while Central Zone and East Zone are both on nine points.