Bangladesh Cricket Board officials said that Mahmudullah’s decision of skipping the ODIs series against Afghanistan to perform Hajj will not have any impact as far as his chance in the World Cup squad is concerned.

BCB cricket operation chairman Jalal Yunus made the announcement during a impromptu press conference at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Monday.

Mahmudullah have retired from Test cricket while he is not considered either in T20I’s or ODI’s for quite some time.  

“Riyad (Mahmudullah) applied to us that he is going to Hajj and he will be there from June 22 to July 5 and he will join the camp later after Hajj. He cannot play the ODIs as the opening game of the series is scheduled on July 5,” said Jalal. 

“It is not difficult (to make it to the World Cup) but this is a very sensitive issue. He is going to perform Hajj and everyone must remember that it is Farz (for every Muslim) and everyone should support him. I don’t think his decision (of skipping the Afghanistan ODI series) will be problem as far as his selection for the World Cup is concerned,” he said.

Though Jalal gave some hope to Mahmudullah if sources close to the board is to be believed that looks quite difficult as his absence will certainly have an impact considering BCB’s last chance of experimenting with their resources for the World Cup ends with the Afghan series as afterwards they will select the Asia Cup squad and would like to continue with the same squad in the World Cup, scheduled in India from October- November.