Nafees to stay back for ODI series

Shahriar Nafees, the Bangladesh opener, will stay back for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka starting on Friday. Nafees, who top-scored with 64 in Bangladesh's second innings in the third Test at Kandy, was scheduled to return home after the Test series.

"The captain, coach and I have discussed and felt that Nafees should stay back for the one-day series. We have contacted the chairman of selectors Faruque Ahmed in Dhaka and have received the approval from him today," Akram Khan, a Bangladesh selector, told TigerCricket.com. "He was getting out to wrong shots after starting well but his innings yesterday [at Kandy] was the kind of knock we want to see more from him."

Mohammad Ashraful, the Bangladesh captain, said the decision was taken in the interest of the team. "He looks in fine touch and we need someone who has scored runs against Sri Lanka," said Ashraful. "You can tell when a batsman is feeling comfortable and I felt his presence would benefit the team at the moment."

Meanwhile, Aftab Ahmed, Tamim Iqbal, Farhad Reza and Mahmudullah Riyad, the ODI specialists, arrived in Colombo to join the team for the ODI series. Habibul Bashar, Khaled Mashud, Rajin Saleh and Mohammad Sharif, who took part in the Test series, would leave for Bangladesh along with Mohammad Rafique tommorow. Rafique was in the ODI squad but has been granted leave because of a family emergency.

"Rafique will decide whether he can rejoin the squad or not after assessing the condition of his son who is ill," said Ali Asif Khan, the team operations manager.

Bangladesh who lost the Test series 0-3 to Sri Lanka will play three ODIs on July 20, 23 and 25.