Md Shami returns for Asia and World T20; Negi makes cut

The Indian national selection panel met on Friday in New Delhi to declare the Indian cricket team for both the upcoming Asia Cup 2016 which will be held in Bangladesh, followed by the ICC World T20 2016.

India will be hosting the mega event for the first time and all eyes will be pinned on MS Dhoni and his men to win the trophy for the second time.

MS Dhoni has been declared as the skipper for both Asia Cup and World T20. Rookie Pawan Negi and Md Shami have been included in the team. Seniors like Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Ashish Nehra have been retained.

Hardik Pandya and Jaspreet Bumrah have also made the cut in the side. Middle-order batsman Manish Pandey and fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar shown the door.

“This is the best combination of 15 we can think of,” Chairman of the committee, Sandeep Patil, said in a press conference after the meeting.

"Shami has 30 days before the World T20. We have good time in our hand to take a call on Shami. He has been one of our best bowlers. For now, I can only say that he has recovered and started bowling,” he said.

India will face Bangladesh in the opening match on Asia Cup on February 24.

Squad: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra, Harbhajan Singh, Mohammed Shami, Pawan Negi.