Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed has withdrawn from the ongoing Lanka Premier League (LPL) to focus on August Test series against Australia.
Taskin had signed for Jaffna Kings and initially planned to join the franchise after completing Bangladesh’s T20I series against Zimbabwe. He had originally taken leave from the tour for the LPL before the Bangladesh Cricket Board retained him for the T20Is following Mustafizur Rahman’s injury.
The experienced pacer was expected to travel to Sri Lanka immediately after the Zimbabwe series. However, he has now opted to return to Bangladesh instead.
The decision comes with Bangladesh set to tour Australia early next month for a two-Test series. Taskin wants to use the time to recover, build his fitness for red-ball cricket and prepare for the challenging assignment.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board is expected to announce the squad for the Australia tour early next week.
Bangladesh will begin the series with the first Test in Darwin on 13 August, before the second and final Test starts in Mackay on 22 August.
The tour will mark Bangladesh’s first Test series in Australia since 2003 and forms part of the ICC World Test Championship.
