Shakib the sub-plot

The Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Bangladesh's home of cricket, will come back to life after Eid break when the national cricketers return to business tomorrow to continue preparations for the upcoming tour of West Indies.

The Tigers will join the camp tomorrow only to discuss their plans about what to do over the next few days as the training will start day after tomorrow under the guidance of head coach Hathurusingha.

On the last day of the training before Eid break on July 24, Hathurusingha told reporters that they had not gotten into the analysis aspects during the skills training and will only work on specific game plans after the break.

The national selectors have already announced a 15-member squad for the three-match ODI series against the West Indies. The team will depart for the West Indies on August 13 and the three ODIs are scheduled for August 20, 22 and 25. The only T20I will take place on August 27 and the selectors will decide on the T20 squad when the remaining players join the team on August 24 for the Test series.

Bowling coach Heath Streak returned on Wednesday to work with the bowlers ahead of the tour. The selectors picked four specialist pace bowlers -- Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Rubel Hossain, Al-Amin Hossain and Taskin Ahmed – keeping Caribbean conditions in mind and the former Zimbabwean fast bowler is expected to hold some strategic sessions with his pace quartet.

Cricket fans all over the country will however be eager to see what kind of decision the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will take in response to the appeal of all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan against his six-month ban from all forms of cricket.

Shakib made the appeal before Eid and BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon said that they will call a board meeting after Eid vacations to discuss the matter.

“We are yet to fix the date of the board meeting but it may happen sometime in the first week of August. This is an important issue and we will discuss it soon,” said BCB's media committee chairman Jalal Yunus yesterday.

According to sources the board directors are divided regarding whether to reduce the suspension sentence of the all-rounder, and especially on the issue of whether to allow him to play in domestic competitions. So, as usual the onus is on BCB boss Papon, although the decision will be taken in the meeting.

Shakib is however expected to start training separately at Mirpur from August 3.