Uncapped Mohammad Saifuddin in Bangladesh T20I squad

Allrounder Mohammad Saifuddin has received a maiden-call up to the Bangladesh squad for the two-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in Colombo from April 4. The 16-member team also included offspinner Mehedi Hasan and left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam, who too were yet to represent their country in the shortest format.

Saifuddin, a 20-year old fast bowler and a handy left-handed lower-order batsman, was flown into Colombo last week to play in the practice match. He picked up nine wickets from nine matches in his first BPL season last year playing for Comilla Victorians. He has played more than twice as many games in first-class cricket for Chittagong, tallying 48 wickets at an average of 31.10, and has struck six fifties as well. He first caught the selectors' eye in the Under-19 World Cup which was held in Bangladesh in 2016.

Mushfiqur Rahim rounded off the list of players coming into the squad that last played against New Zealand in January. Mushfiqur had missed that series having sustained a hamstring injury. Mehedi too has done enough to become a regular fixture in Bangladesh's limited-overs teams while the uncapped Sunzamul received their first ODI call-ups during this Sri Lanka tour but is yet to get a game.

Fast bowler Rubel Hossain, offspinner Shuvagata Hom and left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, who had been part of the team in New Zealand, have been excluded.