Asia Cup: Bangladesh recall batsman Naim, Nurul out

Bangladesh have recalled batsman Mohammad Naim for the Asia Cup starting this week after wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan and pace bowler Hasan Mahmud were ruled out with injury. Naim, who has featured 34 times in Twenty20 internationals, will join the squad in the UAE from the West Indies where he was playing for Bangladesh "A". Nurul was kept in the squad despite undergoing finger surgery in Singapore last week, in the hope that he would be ready for the tournament when it starts on Saturday.

But Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said that Nurul needs more time to recover. Mahmud suffered ligament damage to his right ankle during training and is sidelined for at least three weeks, the BCB said. Three-time Asia Cup finalists Bangladesh face Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in Group B.

Their first match is on Tuesday against Afghanistan. Bangladesh have won just two of their last 15 T20s, prompting a shake-up. Head coach Russell Domingo was stripped of his role overseeing the T20 team on Monday, with former Indian cricketer Sridharan Sriram standing in just days after he joined as technical consultant.