Taskin Ahmed Ditches LPL to Replace Injured Mustafizur for Zimbabwe T20Is
Bangladesh's last-minute squad change for the Zimbabwe T20I series impacts Taskin Ahmed's Lanka Premier League commitments.
Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed has been forced to withdraw from the early stages of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) after being called up to replace the injured Mustafizur Rahman for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) initially granted Ahmed and Litton Das No Objection Certificates to skip the T20Is and join their LPL franchises from the start. However, Mustafizur's hamstring injury prompted selectors to prioritize national duty.
Mustafizur Rahman suffered a right hamstring injury during the first ODI against Zimbabwe, later diagnosed as a Grade 1 tear with minor meniscal degeneration in his right knee. He has been ruled out of the remainder of the tour, including the three T20Is scheduled for July 15, 17, and 19 in Bulawayo. Taskin Ahmed now joins the Bangladesh squad for those matches, delaying his LPL participation until after the series.
BCB chief selector Habibul Bashar confirmed the decision, stating, "We allowed them to skip the Zimbabwe T20Is as Taskin and Litton were given NOC to play in the LPL from the start, but as Mustafizur is out due to injury, we have included Taskin in the T20Is. He will join the LPL after completing the T20Is against Zimbabwe."