Bangladesh recall Tawhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali for the one-off Afghanistan Test

Bangladesh have recalled Tawhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali for next month's one-off Test against Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates, with Taskin Ahmed rested

The Bangladesh Cricket Board named a 15-member squad on Saturday for the match, which begins on 9 October. Najmul Hossain Shanto continues as Test captain.

It is Bangladesh's first red-ball assignment in the Emirates, and the opening fixture of a month of cricket Afghanistan are staging there against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board's schedule sets the Test down for 9 to 13 October without naming a ground.

Runs in South Africa earn Hridoy his recall

Tawhid Hridoy returns after passing 350 runs for Bangladesh 'A' in South Africa. He made his Test debut against Zimbabwe in June and was left out of the tour of Australia that followed.

Jaker Ali comes back in place of Amit Hasan. He also debuted against Zimbabwe, and did travel to Australia.

Chief selector Habibul Bashar Sumon said that "Jaker's strong performances for the 'A' team earned him the recall".

Taskin rested and Nahid Rana still recovering

Taskin Ahmed has been rested for the fixture. He took four wickets the last time Bangladesh met Afghanistan in the format.

Nahid Rana remains unavailable as he works back from injury. Bashar indicated the selectors are aiming to have the fast bowler ready for Bangladesh's home Test against West Indies rather than rush him back in the Emirates.

A settled middle order and two frontline spinners

Shanto leads a batting group of Tanzid Hasan, Shadman Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Hridoy and Jaker Ali.

The spin department is built around Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam, with the pace attack made up of Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain and Shoriful Islam.

Off-spinner Nayeem Hasan travels as a reserve alongside the young quicks Mushfik Hasan and Iqbal Hossain Emon.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque carry the long-form experience in that order, with Shadman Islam and Tanzid Hasan the opening options and Soumya Sarkar available in the top order.

A month of cricket in the Emirates

The Test opens a programme that runs into the middle of November. An ODI tri-series follows, with Bangladesh meeting Zimbabwe on 17 October, Afghanistan playing Zimbabwe on 19 October and Afghanistan facing Bangladesh on 21 October, before the final on 23 October.

Afghanistan then host Zimbabwe for three T20Is and two Tests, the last of them finishing on 17 November.

Announcing the programme, BCB chief executive Nizam Uddin Chowdhury said it would be "an excellent opportunity for our players to experience red-ball cricket in the UAE and challenge themselves against a formidable Afghanistan side".

ACB chief executive Naseeb Khan said playing Bangladesh and Zimbabwe across the formats would "provide our players with valuable competitive opportunities and offer our supporters an exciting period of international cricket".

Two Tests, two landslides

The sides have met twice in the format, and neither match came close to a contest. Afghanistan won the first, at Chattogram in September 2019, by 224 runs, with Rashid Khan taking 11 wickets and scoring a fifty on his captaincy debut.

Bangladesh answered at Mirpur in June 2023 with a win by 546 runs, the largest margin in their Test history and the third largest in the format.

Shanto made hundreds in both innings of that match, and Mominul scored a century in the second.

The squad assembles for a Test starting on 9 October, the first of ten international fixtures Afghanistan will stage in the Emirates before the middle of November.

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