Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman is unlikely to feature in the upcoming ODI and T20I series against the West Indies. The speedster is set to become a father as he reportedly requested leave from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in the month of December.

The white-ball affair begins with the first ODI on December 8 at Warner Park in Basseterre, St. Kitts and ends with the third T20I on December 19 at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, St. Vincent.

“It’s true that he (Mustafizur) asked for leave (during the white-ball series against West Indies) but we haven’t taken a decision yet because we still have time. Let him come and we can talk about it and see if he can be available for a format (ODI, T20I) or not,” a BCB official was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

“At the same time, we have to consider that this is a family issue and that it is a top priority for everyone,” the official added. Mustafizur played a crucial role in Bangladesh’s limited-overs setup as he last played in Tests in June 2022.

Mustafizur is currently in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where the Tigers take on Hashmatullah Shahidi’s Afghanistan in the three-match ODI series. According to reports, Mustafizur is expected to return to Dhaka on Wednesday, November 13.

Bangladesh’s tour of the West Indies begins with the opening Test on November 22 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua. The Tigers will also play a warm-up match starting November 15 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

Most of the Bangladesh cricketers will travel from Dubai to the West Indies. Players like Mominul Haque Showrabh and Taijul Islam will travel to Dubai to join the team.