Mushfiq opt out of Zimbabwe T20s

Bangladesh Cricket Team’s most dependable wicket-keeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim has opted out of the three-match Twenty20 series against Zimbabwe scheduled to take place in the latter part of July in Harare.

Chief Selector Minhajul Abedin told the press that Mushfiq has requested them not to consider him for the T20 series which is scheduled to take place after the one-day international and Test series. ‘Mushfiq is not willing to play in the T20 series against Zimbabwe. He will play in the ODI and the Test series and return to Bangladesh,’ Minhajul told. According to Minhajul, Mushfiq wants to skip the T20 series due to bubble fatigue, one of the areas of concern in this pandemic era. Mushfiq also missed out on the entire three-match T20 series against New Zealand due to shoulder and finger injuries, which he suffered during the third ODI against the Blackcaps in Wellington.

The wicket-keeper batsman is the captain of Abahani Limited in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League, which is being staged as a T20 tournament to give the players a chance to prepare ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place this year. Mushfiq last played an international T20 match for Bangladesh on March 11, 2020, against Zimbabwe in Dhaka. The three T20s are scheduled to take place on July 23, 25 and 27 respectively at Harare.

Mushfiq nominated for ICC Player of the Month Award

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday announced the nominees for the ICC Player of the Month Awards for May to recognise the best performances from both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket.

Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahman nominated for this award for the first time. Along with him Pakistan's Hasan Ali and Sri Lanka's debutant Praveen Jayawickram was also in the list.  The experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiq showcased his full class in the month of May. He scored 80 runs at an average of 40 in the first Test against Sri Lanka.  But it was the ODI series against the same opposition, where he displayed his world-class ability with the bat. 

In three matches, Mushfiqur scored 237 runs at an average of 79 and a strike rate of 88.43. The veteran's knock of 125 in the second match helped the hosts seal a first-ever ODI series victory against Sri Lanka. For his contributions, Mushfiqur has rightfully adjudged the Player of the Series.