Bangladesh call up Tanzim Sakib for first Zimbabwe Test

Seamer Tanzim Hasan Sakib has earned a maiden Test call-up to Bangladesh’s squad for the first Test against Zimbabwe.

However, the Tigers will miss the services of pacer Taskin Ahmed from the series against West Indies in November as he is recovering from an injury, a media statement from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said on Tuesday.

BCB’s Senior Physician Dr Debashis Chowdhury said, “Taskin is currently rehabilitating for a left Achilles tendon issue and is not available for the series.”

Tanzim has played 28 white-ball games in national colours. He was the Tigers’ best-performing fast bowler in the T20 World Cup in 2024, grabbing 11 wickets at an average of 13.54, with a career-best bowling performance of 4 for 7 against Nepal.

The 22-year-old fast bowler has shown the ability to hit a good pace and can extract seam or swing offered by conditions.

The first of the two-Test series against Zimbabwe begins on Apr 20 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium while the second is slated for Apr 28 at Chattogram’s Bir Shrestha Flight Lieutenant Motiur Rahman Stadium.

SQUAD:

Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahidul Islam Bhuiyan Ankon, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Vice Captain), Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib