Salma Khatun, Marufa Akter return for India T20I series

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced a 16-member squad for the three-match T20I series against India on Wednesday (July 5). Off spinner Salma Khatun and pacer Marufa Akter have returned to the side for the series that's scheduled to start on July 9.

Pacer Jahanara Alam hasn't found a place in the main squad or the four stand bys after being omitted from the preliminary squad. All the 20 members were part of the training that started on July 1 in Dhaka.

Marufa, who missed the Sri Lanka tour due to her school exams, came back to the fold when she went to Hong Kong with the Bangladesh A side for the ACC T20 Women's Emerging Teams Asia Cup. Bangladesh A eventually went down against the winners India A in the tournament.

Salma Khatun, who has represnted Bangladesh in 94 T20Is, was rested for the Sri Lanka tour and she will add valuable experience to the side led by Nigar Sultana Joty. Alam's omission from the camp was owing to her fitness according to the news reports.

All the matches of the India series will be played at the Sher-E-Bangla Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. All the T20Is will be played at 1:30 PM local time with matches scheduled on July 9, 11, and 13. The T20I leg will be followed by the three ICC Women's Championship (IWC) ODIs for the 2022-25 cycle. India have already qualifed for the 2025 ICC World Cup as the hosts and have won all their six matches in the IWC so far. Bangladesh haven't managed to register a win from the six matches they played and have four points they acquired from the wash outs against New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh T20I squad: Niger Sultana Joty (c), Nahida Akter (vc), Dilara Akter, Shathi Rani, Shamima Sultana, Sobhana Mostary, Murshida Khatun, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Disha Biswas, Marufa Akter, Shanjida Akther Maghla, Rabeya, Sultana Khatun, Salma Khatun, Fahima Khatun

Stand by : Fargana Hoque Pinky, Lata Mondol, Sharmin Akter Supta, Fariha Islam Trisna