Bangladesh retains Shakib, Liton for Ireland Test despite IPL plea

Shakib and Liton are both in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and had both requested a discharge from their national duties.

Bangladesh skipper Shakib al Hasan and Liton Das.

Bangladesh has included all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and batter Liton Das in the squad for its one-off Test against Ireland, ignoring their requests to join the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Shakib will lead the host in the game from April 4 to 8 in Dhaka while Liton will act as his deputy, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said.

Shakib and Liton are both in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and had both requested a discharge from their national duties after Friday’s conclusion to the three-match T20 series against Ireland.

“We have been told by the board they are both available for the Test match. That’s why they have been included in the squad,” chief selector Minhajul Abedin told AFP.

Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman has been released from the squad to join the Delhi Capitals franchise.

Minhajul said that batsman Zakir Hasan, who impressed against India in Bangladesh’s last Test series with a hundred on debut, will miss out due to injury.

Shadman Islam replaced Zakir while pacer Shoriful Islam also returned to the side after recovering from injury.

This will be Bangladesh’s first-ever Test match against Ireland, which lost its ODI and T20 series 2-0 and 2-1 respectively on this tour.

Ireland has so far played three Tests and lost all.

Squad: Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Liton Das, Tamim Iqbal, Shadman Islam, Najmul Hossain, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Mahmudul Hasan