Three new faces in Tigers’ 18-man squad

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced the final 18-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies at home soil. Off-spinner Mahedi Hasan, fast bowlers Hasan Mahmud and Shoriful Islam have got the nod for the first time in the Bangladesh roster.

The two pacers and the spinner were rewarded for their consistent performances since cricket started in the country following a long break due to the pandemic. Four players have been dropped from Bangladesh’s last series against Zimbabwe on early 2020. Expectedly veteran pacer and former skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza did not get a spot in the 18-man squad. Fast bowler Shofiul Islam has also been dropped.

Pacer Al-Amin Hossain and batsman Naim Sheikh were dropped from the preliminary squad, they all played in the Zimbabwe series. Left arm-spinner Nasum Ahmed, batsman Yasir Ali Rabbi and all-rounder Mosaddek Hossain have also been dropped from the preliminary squad. Parvez Hossain Emon has already been dropped due to injury.

Premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has returned to the team as expected after the ban. Meanwhile, pacer Taskin Ahmed, who recently got injured, was deemed fit enough to be called alongside Saif Uddin, who recovered from an injury recently. Taskin last played in ODIs for Bangladesh back in 2017. For the first time, spin all-rounder Sheikh Mahedi Hasan and U-19 World Cup winning pacers Hasan Mahmud and Shoriful Islam have been named in the squad.

Hasan Mahmud claimed a 4-21 and Shoriful scalped 2-27 in the first warm-up game on Thursday and thus made their case further stronger.

“They have been playing good cricket for some time now,” said BCB chief selector Minhajul Abedin Nannu.

“We included them into the squad, for the 2023 World Cup. Hopefully they can keep up their performance and bolster our pipeline.”

This will be Tamim Iqbal’s first assignment as regular captain of the side since he was appointed skipper after Mashrafe Bin Mortaza stepped down from the post.

The Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur will host the first two ODIs on January 20 and 22 while the third and final ODI will be held at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on January 25.

ODI Squad: Tamim Iqbal (Captain), Shakib Al Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim. Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Saif Uddin, Mahedi Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam.

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