In Sri Lanka, Salma Khatun and Rumana Ahmed Rested

Ahead of their scheduled tour of Sri Lanka starting on April 29 in Colombo, Bangladesh has announced that two senior cricketers, Salma Khatun and Rumana Ahmed, will be rested and will not be included in the 16-member squad.

Meanwhile, pacer Marufa Akter, who was a part of the last ICC Women’s T20 World Cup squad in South Africa, will also not be included for the Sri Lanka tour as she will be sitting for her Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam later this month.

The squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, which departs on April 25, includes Sanjida Akther Maghla, Fariha Islam Trishna, Rabeya, and the uncapped Sultana Khatun, who have all been selected for the team.

According to Monjurul Islam, the women’s team selector for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), the decision to rest Salma Khatun and Rumana Ahmed from the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka was made in accordance with the head coach Hashan Tillakaratne’s plan.

“He feels there is a lot of cricket and we need to focus on managing their workload,” said Islam in an interview with Cricbuzz on Tuesday. “We have a lot of games both at home and away, so we want to make a plan that will allow us to get the best out of our senior players.”

Monjurul Islam also expressed excitement about the inclusion of Sultana Khatun in the squad for the Sri Lanka tour, stating that they believe she has the potential to eventually replace Salma Khatun.

“We need someone who can provide a complete package at number six or seven, and Sultana appears to be a good fit for that role,” he said.

“We are hopeful that in the coming days, she will be able to fill the gap left by Salma Khatun on the team.”

Bangladesh’s tour of Sri Lanka will consist of three Women’s One Day Internationals (WODIs) against the hosts on April 29, May 2, and May 4 at P Sara Oval in Colombo.

Following the ODI series, the two teams will play a three-match Women’s T20 International (WT20I) series on May 9, 11, and 12 at SSC Ground in Colombo.

The ODI series is a part of the ongoing ICC Women’s Championship.

The 16-member squad for the Sri Lanka tour includes Nigar Sultana Joty as the captain, along with Fargana Hoque Pinky, Shamima Sultana, Fahima Khatun, Murshida Khatun, Jahanara Alam, Mst Sanjida Akther Maghla, Sobhana Mostary, Lata Mondol, Shorna Akter, Nahida Akter, Fariha Islam Trishna, Mst Ritu Moni, Disha Biswas, Rabeya, and Sultana Khatun.