Shakib to lead BCB XI against South Africans

Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh allrounder, will lead the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI in the three-day warm-up match against the visiting South Africans in Fatullah. Mushfiqur Rahim, the national team wicketkeeper, has been named as his deputy.

Opener Tamim Iqbal has been added to the 14-man squad named earlier, and he is expected to play if fit. Tamim had suffered a broken thumb during the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington, after having put on a record first-wicket stand with Junaid Siddique in the first. Tamim is part of Bangladesh's 17-member squad for the series against South Africa, and both he and Siddique have been included for the tour game.

The match, which starts on Sunday, February 17, is the only practice game for South Africa ahead of the two-Test series, which commences on February 22. Many of Bangladesh's first team's regulars are part of the squad, and it would be a good opportunity for the visitors to assess the opposition.

BCB XI squad: Tamim Iqbal, Junaid Siddique, Shahriar Nafees, Nazimuddin, Rajin Saleh, Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Aftab Ahmed, Mushfiqur Rahim, Enamul Haque jnr, Sajidul Islam, Talha Jubair, Farhad Reza, Syed Rasel, Roqibul Hassan, Habibul Bashar.