Bangladesh’s all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz will continue to lead the team in the upcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies, following the absence of regular captain Najmul Hossain Shanto. Shanto, who is sidelined due to a groin strain, was unable to make the trip, and Mehidy will now lead the team in both the ongoing Test series and the ODI series set to begin on December 8.
Mehidy’s appointment as captain for the two-Test series in the Caribbean, where Bangladesh trails 1-0, comes as Shanto continues to recover from his injury. The 26-year-old Miraz has been handed the responsibility in the absence of several key players, including senior all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who remains unavailable due to personal and mental health reasons.
Shakib, who has not played for Bangladesh since the Test series in India, missed the recent ODIs against Afghanistan and has continued his absence from the national team. According to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Faruque Ahmed, Shakib is not currently in the mental state to represent the country, despite his availability for the Abu Dhabi T10 league, where he played seven matches for Bangla Tigers. The BCB president mentioned that while Shakib still possesses the skill to play at the international level, he needs more preparation and time to adjust mentally before making a return.
“We hope that the issues get solved in the way he wants. Definitely, he still possesses the capability to play for the national team,” BCB President Ahmed explained. “But playing for a franchise and playing for the country is not the same thing. You need preparation, and you also need to gel with the team. Since he can’t do those things, I don’t think he is in a mental state to play for the country.”
The ODI squad for the series against West Indies also sees the absence of middle-order batter Towhid Hridoy, who has been ruled out with a groin injury sustained while playing football. Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim misses out as he continues his recovery from a finger injury, and left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman has opted out of the series due to personal reasons.
In contrast, Litton Das makes his return to the side after missing the ODIs against Afghanistan in November. The squad also includes Parvez Hossain Emon, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Hasan Mahmud, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib, with Shakib’s absence creating an opportunity for younger players to step up.
Meanwhile, left-handed opener Zakir Hasan, who was part of the squad in recent months, has been dropped from the ODI lineup.
The players named for the ODI series will depart from Dhaka on Monday and join the rest of the squad in St Kitts for the three ODIs, which are scheduled for December 8, 10, and 12.
Bangladesh’s ODI Squad for West Indies Series:
Mehidy Hasan Miraz (captain), Litton Das (wk), Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Parvez Hossain, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Afif Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan, Nahid Rana.
As Bangladesh prepares for these ODIs, the focus will be on rebuilding the team with key players unavailable, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz expected to guide the squad through these challenging times.
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