South Africa have named a full-strength side for the Bangladesh series, putting their stars in a quandary. Check full schedule and squads for SA vs BAN cricket series.
Bangladesh will play two Tests and three ODIs during the tour of South Africa 2022. The tour opens with the first ODI on March 18 at Centurion and finishes with the second and final Test at Port Elizabeth. The match starts on April 8. (More Cricket News)
South Africa are the obvious favourites in both formats but the hosts will have selection woes as many of the stars are likely to leave early for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. The South African selectors have included as many as eight IPL-bound players -- Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Dwaine Pretorius and Marco Jansen -- in the squad. However, another IPL-bound player, Anrich Nortje has not been selected for fitness issues.
IPL 2022 starts on March 26, three days after the end of the ODIs.
"The players in the one-day squad who are not playing in the Tests will likely leave for IPL after the ODI series," ESPNcricinfo quoted Victor Mpitsang, CSA's selection convenor, as saying. "We will have more clarity on the six players who are part of the Test group in the next couple of days."
With the tour schedule clashing with IPL, South Africa Test captain Dean Elgar is left with no option but to request his teammates to skip the T20 league in India.
"... we'll see where their loyalty lies. They mustn't forget that Test and one-day cricket got them into the IPL, not the other way around."
For Bangladesh, there's good news as star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has agreed to travel with the team. Shakib was earlier given permission to skip the tour.
Shakib, 34, had earlier told the Bangladesh Cricket Board that he was "mentally fatigued and physically stressed" and withdrew himself from contention for the South Africa tour after being named to the squad.
But he had a change of heart after he was rested from all formats until April 30, following a meeting with board president Nazmul Hassan in Dhaka.
"Shakib is available for all the formats for the South Africa tour. He will travel to South Africa tomorrow," Nazmul told reporters after the meeting.
1st ODI on March 18 at SuperSport Park, Centurion. Match starts 4:30 PM IST/1:00 PM local;
2nd ODI on March 20 at The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg. Match starts 1:30 PM IST/10:00 AM local;
3rd ODI on March 23 at SuperSport Park, Centurion. Match starts 4:30 PM IST/1:00 PM local;
1st Test from March 31 to April 4 at Kingsmead, Durban. Match starts 1:30 PM IST/10:00 AM local;
2nd Test from April 8 to April 12 at St George's Park, Port Elizabeth. Match starts 1:30 PM IST/10:00 AM local.
South Africa ODI: Temba Bavuma (c), Keshav Maharaj (vc), Quinton de Kock (wk), Zubayr Hamza, Marco Jansen, Janneman Malan, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne.
Bangladesh ODI: Tamim Iqbal (c), Khaled Ahmed, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Yasir Ali, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk & vc), Mustafizur Rahman, Najmul Hossain Shanto.
South Africa Test: TBA
Bangladesh Test: Mominul Haque (c), Khaled Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Yasir Ali, Litton Das (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nurul Hasan (wk), Ebadot Hossain, Tamim Iqbal (vc), Shadman Islam, Shohidul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taijul Islam, Abu Jayed Rahi, Mushfiqur Rahim, Najmul Hossain Shanto.