On Monday, December 2, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) unveiled the national squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies, set to begin on December 8. All the matches will take place at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts. This announcement comes after careful consideration of the team’s composition and player availability, with significant changes to the lineup.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz to lead Bangladesh in ODIs
Mehidy Hasan Miraz will continue his leadership role in the Bangladesh cricket team, having been appointed as captain for the ODI series. He will be leading the side for the first time in the 50-over format, following the absence of regular captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who is sidelined due to a groin injury. The BCB confirmed that Shanto’s recovery is still underway, and as a result, Miraz will take charge of the team for the upcoming series.
“All-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz will now lead the Bangladesh side in ODIs for the first time in the absence of Najmul Hossain Shanto who is still recovering from a groin injury,” BCB said in a statement.
Injuries and player absences
Several key players will miss out on the ODI series due to injuries or form concerns. Physician Monzur Hossain Chowdhury confirmed that Towhid Hridoy is currently dealing with a medical issue in his right groin, which requires rest. Hridoy’s condition will be reassessed in two weeks to determine his readiness for future matches.
“Hridoy had complained of pain in his right groin region and subsequent investigations have confirmed the presence of a medical condition. He has been advised rest and we will reassess him in two weeks to determine his readiness to play,” added BCB Sports Physician Hossain Chowdhury.
In addition to Hridoy and Shanto, several other players were omitted from the squad. Mushfiqur Rahim and Zakir Hasan were also not selected for the series. Hasan, in particular, was dropped due to a lack of form, as confirmed by the BCB, “Fellow left-hander Zakir Hasan, who was in the team in last month’s ODI series against Afghanistan in the UAE, has been dropped,” BCB said in the statement.
Additionally fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman will not be the part of the squad due to family emergency.
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New faces and returnees in the squad
The BCB also revealed a mix of returning players and fresh faces in the squad. One notable inclusion is Parvez Hossain Emon, who is set to make his ODI debut. Alongside Emon, several other players will rejoin the squad, including the experienced wicketkeeper-batter Liton Das, who has been recalled after a period of absence. The squad also sees the return of allrounder Atif Hossain Dhrubo, right-arm fast bowler Hasan Mahmud and medium fast bowler Tanzim Hasan Shakib. These changes reflect the team’s efforts to build a competitive squad, balancing new talent with seasoned players to take on the West Indies in the upcoming series.
Bangladesh’s ODI squad against West Indies
Mehidy Hasan Miraz (captain), Litton Kumer Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Soumya Sarkar, Parvez Hossain Emon, Md Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana