Shafiul, Ebadat included as Taskin's replacement

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has named the replacements for pacer Taskin Ahmed in both the ODI and Test side for the the upcoming series against New Zealand. Taskin, who had been in impressive form in the ongoing BPL, has been ruled out of the series due to a lateral ligament injury.

Shafiul Islam has been included in the ODI team while fellow pacer Ebadat Hossain will join the Test side. 

Taskin's impressive showing in the BPL, where he bagged 22 wickets in 12 matches for Sylhet Sixers -- becoming the top wicket-taker in the competition, earned him a call into the national team after injuries and poor form had seen him sit on the sidelines during Bangladesh's recent series both home and away.

The injury will come as a major blow to the tall right-arm pacer as the selectors were perhaps hoping to gauge his performance in the seaming conditions of New Zealand. The series is also going to serve as Bangladesh's best preparation scenario ahead of the World Cup in England and it would be a big miss for Taskin.

Shafiul, who is playing for Rangpur Riders in the BPL has bagged 15 wickets in 12 matches so far while Ebadat, one of Taskin's Sylhet teammate, has featured in four BPL matches and captured five wickets which includes a four-wicket haul against Chittagong Vikings in a group-phase match.