Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes added to Bangladesh's Asia Cup squad

Batsmen Soumya Sarkar and Imrul Kayes have been added to Bangladesh's Asia Cup squad, which has suffered a spate of injuries. The additions were announced after Bangladesh were bowled out for 173 against India; a second batting debacle following their 136-run loss to Afghanistan on Thursday.

Bangladesh's leading batsmen have suffered setbacks: Tamim Iqbal fractured his wrist against Sri Lanka and is out of the tournament, while Shakib Al Hasan (finger) and Mushfiqur Rahim (rib) have been playing despite injuries. The bigger worry, however, has been the poor form of the younger batsmen.

Openers Liton Das and Nazmul Hossain Shanto have been ineffective so far, so have Mominul Haque and Mosaddek Hossain, while Mohammad Mithun has scored one fifty in three innings.

Both Soumya and Imrul have had played little cricket lately. They last featured in ODIs in the away series against South Africa last year, where Soumya played one match scoring 8 - making his tally 42 in his last five ODI appearances. Imrul played all three, totalling 100 runs. Neither was picked in the subsequent tri-series at home, or for the tour of West Indies in July-August.

Their inclusion means Bangladesh now have 11 frontline batsmen at their disposal for the rest of the Asia Cup.

Squad: Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Shakib Al Hasan (vc), Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Ariful Haque, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nazmul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Hider, Mominul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes