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Nafees out, Nazim in
Tigers leave for Down Under tonight
Sports Reporter
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was forced to make an eleventh hour change in the 15-member squad for the Australia tour as Shahriar Nafees opted out of the trip to focus on his studies. Nazimuddin will now fly with the team tonight after midnight as the national selectors have decided to replace left-handed opening batsman Nafees, a BBA student of the Dhaka University, with the right-hander from Chittagong. "I have already lost one and half years of my studies because of the busy international schedule. That's why I have decided to complete it this time. I am already three semesters behind from my classmates and I always give importance of my academic career," said Nafees, who made the request in a letter to the board yesterday. "It was not an easy decision for me and I don't think I could have taken the decision before the selection of the team. Actually it would be very difficult for me to complete my exam in future if I skip it this time because we have a number of series after the Australia tour," he replied when asked whether it was possible for him to take the decision earlier.Chief selector Rafiqul Alam also emphasised on the academic career. "I think it's very important for anybody to complete his academic exams. We have been informed that he opted out due to the sudden announcement of his university exam schedules. May be he could have requested it earlier to the board," said Rafiqul. On the other hand, Nazimuddin was initially dropped from the squad as the selectors thought that he had got enough chance but failed to perform up to the mark. "We have no choice other than picking up Nazimuddin. No other opener is available as Zunaed Siddiqui is also out of form. Also Nazim's performance in England with the A team was not that bad," explained Rafiq. Mohammad Ashraful's men will play five practice matches before going into the three-match one-day series against the world's number one team. Rafiq said that the team management will decide on Tamim Iqbal's opening partner after watching the performance of Mehrab Hossain and Nazimuddin in the warm ups. "The selection is wide open now," said the former national cricketer. The one-day matches are scheduled for August 30, September 3 and 6 in Darwin.SQUADMohammad Ashraful (captain), Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (vice-captain), Nazimuddin, Tamim Iqbal, Rokibul Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, Alok Kapali, Dhiman Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Mahmudullah Riyad, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain, Forhad Reza, Mehrab Hossain, Nazmul Hossain and Dollar Mahmud.
One of several CNG filling stations between Kanchpur Bridge and Jatrabari of the capital which BNP big shots built on the Kutubkhali canal, drastically reducing Dhaka's drainage capability. PHOTO: STAR
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