Towhid Hridoy replaces Mushfiqur Rahim for first Sri Lanka Test
Bangladesh Cricket Board has replaced Mushfiqur Rahim with uncapped Towhid Hridoy for the opening game of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, starting March 22. Notably, veteran Bangladesh batter Mushfiqur was ruled out after injuring his right thumb during the last ODI encounter of the three-match series. Towhid, who is a regular in Bangladesh's white-ball squads, comes into the 15-member squad. Here's more.
A look at Hridoy's career stats
Hridoy made his debut in Bangladesh's white-ball formats in March 2023. Since then, the talented batter has scored 848 runs in 30 ODI matches at 36.86. He has seven fifties under his belt. He has also played 14 T20I matches, scoring 231 runs at 23.10. In 83 First-Class matches, Hridoy owns 1,974 runs at 30.84. He has one ton and 11 fifties.
Hridoy scored 96* in the 2nd ODI versus SL
Hridoy scored 3, 96* and 22 in the recently concluded ODI series versus the Lankans. His career-best score of an unbeaten 96 in the second ODI wasn't enough as Sri Lanka leveled the series. However, Bangladesh won the decider to claim the series 2-1.
Rahim ruled out of Sri Lanka Tests
Mushfiqur was ruled out of the Sri Lanka Test series due to a fractured right thumb. Mushfiqur sustained the injury during the third ODI against Sri Lanka on March 18 and subsequently went for an MRI.
Key details about the series
The first match will be played at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet from March 22-26. The second encounter starts from March 30 onward at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have met on 24 occasions in the longest format. Sri Lanka have claimed 18 wins to Bangladesh's one solitary victory. A total of five matches have been drawn.
