Nafees Iqbal dropped for Sri Lanka series

Bangladesh have dropped their out-of-form opening batsman, Nafees Iqbal, for the upcoming one-day series in Sri Lanka this month.

Iqbal, part of the team which created history when Bangladesh shocked the world champions, Australia, in Cardiff in June, was left out of the 15-man one-day squad but will retain his place in the Test set-up.

Their injured fast bowler, Tapash Baisya, will also miss the three one-day matches but is expected to return for the two-Test series. Abdur Razzak, a left-arm spinner, and the left-arm medium-pacer, Syed Russel, were both called up for the one-dayers on the strength of their performances in Bangladesh A's tour of England.

Bangladesh have lost 33 of their 38 Tests, drawn four and won only one since gaining Test status in 2000. Their maiden Test win came against a depleted Zimbabwe side earlier this year. And Bangladesh have won just 10 of their 115 one-day internationals, including the memorable victory against Australia which prompted tens of thousands of fans to pour on to the streets in celebration.

Iqbal, Baisya, Enamul Haque jr and Shahadat Hossain will join the squad on September 4 before the two-Test series. The one-dayers start on August 31.

Bangladesh Habibul Bashar (capt), Khaled Mashud, Mohammad Ashraful, Javed Omar, Rajin Saleh, Tushar Imran, Aftab Ahmad Chowdhury, Shahriar Nafees Ahmed, Mohammad Rafique, Khaled Mahmud, Manzarul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Khan Abdur Razzak, Mashrafe Mortaza, Syed Russel.