A team trio get maiden nods

After impressive performances for the A team, pacers Khaled Ahmed, Shoriful Islam and batsman Fazle Rabbi earned maiden call-ups to the 31-member Bangladesh preliminary squad announced by the selectors yesterday for the upcoming Asia Cup.

The cricketers will start the training camp from August 27 ahead of the tournament that kicks off from September 15 in the UAE.

17-year-old left-arm seamer Shoriful came into the limelight in the previous season of the Dhaka Premier League when he picked up 17 wickets in eight games for Prime Bank Cricket Club. He bowled well in the first-class competitions and was also among the wickets during Bangladesh A's ongoing tour of Ireland, which will conclude on August 17.

Right-arm pacer Khaled is the highest wicket-taker in Ireland for Bangladesh A while left-handed batsman Rabbi has earned his place in the squad through consistent performances with both bat and his leg-spin bowling.

Bangladesh Test specialist Mominul Haque was also named in the squad after his blistering 182 for Bangladesh A in Ireland after the selectors hinted that the national team management is considering the left-hander for the limited-overs format.

Young all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin, wicketkeeper-batsman Zakir Hasan and off-spinner Naeem Hasan were also named in the squad.

Tigers' new head coach Steve Rhodes, who is now in Ireland to observe the Bangladesh A, wanted a few new players. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan said the board will ensure the presence of the coach when required, which was absent during the tenure of previous coach Chandika Hathurusingha.

"The best thing is that he [Rhodes] has already reached Ireland to watch the A team, so he has the interest. However, there is not much of a difference when it comes to the holiday breaks of the head coach. But we want his presence when it is required, which was not present during the previous coach's tenure. But this time there is no scope for that," Nazmul told reporters yesterday.