Taskin Ahmed, Farhad Reza included in Bangladesh squad for Ireland tri-series

Bangladesh have added pace bowler Taskin Ahmed and medium-pace-bowling allrounder Farhad Reza to the squad for the tri-series in Ireland, which begins next week.

With the addition of the two, the squad has swelled to 19, with the selectors having earlier added offspinner Nayeem Hasan and offspinning allrounder Yasir Ali to the 15-member provisional World Cup squad, which was picked two weeks ago.

Taskin's selection didn't come as much of a surprise, given that he was among the standby players for the World Cup - there are injury concerns around senior pacemen Rubel Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman.

But Farhad's selection was a bit out of the blue, given that he hasn't been part of the senior side since the 2014 World T20, and last played an ODI in 2011. Cricday understands that coach Steve Rhodes requested the BCB to include Farhad, likely as a back-up alternative for Mohammad Saifuddin, who has a tennis elbow problem. Farhad was the highest wicket-taker in the Dhaka Premier League that concluded last week.

The tri-series, to be played in Dublin, will start on May 5 with Ireland and West Indies, the third team in the competition, facing off. Bangladesh play their first match on May 7 against West Indies. The series, with each team facing the others twice before the top two teams play the final, will run till May 17.

Bangladesh squad for Ireland tri-series: Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Mithun, Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Shaifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed, Nayeem Hasan, Yasir Ali, Taskin Ahmed, Farhad Reza