Bangladesh cricketer Najmul Hossain Shanto has been omitted from the T20I team for the three-match series against Sri Lanka, scheduled soon. The move follows barely a few days after he relinquished the Test captaincy in the wake of a 1-0 series loss against Sri Lanka. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 16-member team for the series, which will run from July 10 to 16, with Shanto's ommittal being one of five major changes. Shanto's T20I performance has been disappointing across 2024. In 21 games this year, he scored a mere 18.84 with a solitary fifty in his kitty. Following the relinquishing of the T20I captaincy in January to concentrate on batting, his difficulties did not cease. Though he was included in the squad for the UAE and Pakistan series in May, he featured in just one of the six games. He has been replaced by left-handed opener Mohammad Naim. Naim has been in red-hot touch on the domestic circuit, leading the charts both in the BPL and NCL T20s with 827 runs at an average of 37.59 and a strike rate of 140.40. Besides the southpaw, Soumya Sarkar, Hasan Mahmud, Tanvir Islam, Nahid Rana, and Khaled Ahmed, who all were in the previous T20I combination, have also been omitted. Also Read | Gill Hit on Head at First Slip by Harry Brook’s Edge in 2nd Test While Mohammad Saifuddin returns from a one-year layoff, having an exceptional home season after taking a break from cricket. Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman also returned from injuries. Shoriful Islam, who was dealing with a groin niggle, has held his position. Nasum Ahmed comes in for Tanvir Islam in the spin group. Shanto resigned as Test captain following the 1-0 series loss against Sri Lanka. He made the announcement in public, having already informed the board, he said. Appointed as an all-format captain initially after the injury to Shakib Al Hasan in late 2023, Shanto had a patchy term. Bangladesh won four out of 14 Tests during his stewardship, including milestone victories against New Zealand and Pakistan. His Test form also picked up during his captaincy tenure, averaging 36.24 against 29.83 as a normal player. But since being dropped as ODI captain by Mehidy Hasan Miraz earlier this year, few had any confidence in his long-term place in the leadership ranks. With Mehidy currently captain of ODIs and Litton Das captain of the T20I team, the Test captaincy is up for grabs ahead of their next red-ball assignment in October against Ireland.