Mustafizur Rahman ruled out of Pakistan tour, replacement named

Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman has been ruled out of Bangladesh’s upcoming T20I series against Pakistan after injuring his left thumb during his final Indian Premier League (IPL) match. The left-arm pacer sustained a clip fracture, which will sideline him for at least two to three weeks.

According to team physio Delowar Hossain Siva, Mustafizur needs rest and rehabilitation. 

“He suffered a clip fracture on his left thumb and won’t be available for selection for the next two to three weeks,” he said. 

“We will conduct a follow-up evaluation after two weeks to monitor his recovery progress,” he added. 

In Mustafizur’s absence, fast bowler Khaled Ahmed has been called up to the squad as his replacement.

Meanwhile, the three-match T20I series, originally set to begin on May 27, will now start on May 28 and run through June 1. All matches will be held at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, with an 8:00 PM start time.

The change in schedule comes after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) requested a slight delay to help the players settle and train before the series. The arrived in Lahore on May 25 and will have two practice sessions on May 26 and 27.

This tour is also significant for Pakistan, as it marks the first assignment under new white-ball head coach Mike Hesson.

Despite some big names missing from Pakistan’s squad—including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi—the selectors have opted for a blend of youth and experience based on recent performances in the HBL PSL. Notable inclusions are Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, and Sahibzada Farhan. Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman also return after recovering from injuries.

Pakistan squad for T20I series against Bangladesh: 

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub.

The series was initially planned as a five-match contest, with games in both Lahore and Faisalabad. However, concerns within the Bangladesh camp led to the series being reduced to three games, all to be held in Lahore.

Revised T20I series schedule:

• 28 May – 1st T20I, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore – 8:00 PM
• 30 May – 2nd T20I, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore – 8:00 PM
• 1 June – 3rd T20I, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore – 8:00 PM

Pakistan has a dominant record over Bangladesh in T20Is, winning 16 out of their 19 encounters. The last time the two sides met was in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Adelaide.