Riyad axed after discussions with Shakib and team management: Nannu

PHOTO: STAR

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief selector Minhajul Abedin Nannu said that the decision to leave out experienced campaigner Mahmudullah Riyad from the Asia Cup was done after discussing the matter at length with the team management, skipper Shakib Al Hasan and head coach Chandika Hathurusingha. 

Leading up to the squad announcement for the upcoming continental event, one of the most asked questions was whether there will be a place for veteran Mahmudullah in the squad. The 37-year-old cricketer was ultimately axed, but as per the chief selector, it was done as Mahmudullah did not fit into the plans hatched by the team management for the Asia Cup.      

“We had a long discussion regarding Mahmudullah initially. After a long discussion, the team management gave us a plan entailing how they want to approach each teams [in the Asia Cup]. Riyad has been left out after considering all these scenarios,” Nannu said when he announced the Tigers’ 17-member Asia Cup squad today at the BCB headquarters in Mirpur.  

Even before being named the captain of the ODI side, Shakib had said that fitness would be given priority above anything else when it comes to forming squads. And Shakib was well involved in the decision-making process for the Asia Cup squad.    

“We thought the planning that the team management gave was obviously good as they have a plan with the head coach regarding how to go about things with the team. We had a proper discussion about everything. We also discussed it with the skipper [Shakib Al Hasan],” Nannu added. 

Mahmudullah was dropped following the ODIs against England at home last March due to poor performances. And with his recent axing from the Asia Cup squad, the 37-year-old, already retired from Tests and T20Is, might be left pondering if he had already played his last game in Bangladesh colours.