B’desh call six rookies

Dhaka, September 22:

Bangladesh has called up six rookies in a list of 24 probables to shore up their depleted national team for next month’s home series against New Zealand, officials said today.

The youngsters belong to the country’s cricket academy and have excelled in domestic matches over the past year, chief selector Rafiqul Alam said. “Hopefully some of them would find a place in the main squad,” Alam said.

The squad includes none of the 13 players who recently defected to the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League. The selectors also recalled four experienced players — Tushar Imran, Rajin Saleh, Enamul Haq and Nafis Iqbal — who had earlier been dropped from the national team, said Alam.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board last Wednesday banned all 13 ICL signees for 10 years. New Zealand will arrive in Dhaka on October 4 to play three ODIs and two Test matches.