After Asia Cup 2023 mission of mixed success team tigers is set to start 3 matches ODI series against second string New Zealand team from the end of this week at home.
As ICC World Cup is knocking at the door Bangladesh has also given test to most of its first-choice team members. Two tested veterans’ former captains Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah Riyad absent from World Cup for different reasons will return in the national duty once again for some very useful match practice. Some fringe players will have opportunities to make last minutes entry in the world cup squad proving their mettle in the series. The outstanding issues those remains unresolved top order inconsistency and late middle order combination. Bangladesh will need one or two competent power hitters’ glimpses of which was seen a little bit against India in their last match against India.
Bangladesh in Asia Cup tested some young players for the very important opening position as regular openers Tamim and Litton were not available from the start. Nazmul Shanto also got injured after two matches. Bangladesh had no option but trying with Naim and junior Tamim. When that did not work in Bangladesh tried with Mehedy Miraj as stop gap opener as contingency option.
Team expects that a fully fit Tamim will return, Shanto is back in the top order and Mahmudullah Riyad also returns, much of the problem will be addressed. Still Bangladesh will lead one or two options. With this end in view Bangladesh has named a squad that includes Tanjid Tamim, Soumya Sarkar, Anamul Bijoy, Zakir Hasan for the top order, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shekh Mahedi for the late middle order. Rookie Tamjid Hasan Shakib will also get some matches for being considered as a fifth pace bowler option. The squad even without veterans like Shakib, Mushfique and leading pacers Taskin, Shoriful and Hasan Mahmood have enough depth and diversity to perform well against New Zealand at Sher e Bangla National Stadium. Bangladesh will start as favorites.
Bangladesh Squad for first two ODIs: Litton Das (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Anamul Haque, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan, Tanzid Hasan, Zakir Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Khaled Ahmed.
New Zealand Squad: Lockie Ferguson (captain), Finn Allen, Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Chad Bowes, Dane Cleaver, Dean Foxcroft, Kyle Jamieson, Cole McConchie, Adam Milne, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young.
True that some leading batsmen of New Zealand is missing from the squad still the squad led by fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has strike bowlers like Trent Boult and Kayle Jamieson and spinners like Ish Sodhi and Rachin Ravindra.
Bangladesh also have Mustafizur Rahman, Tanjim Hasan Shakib, Khaled Ahmed as well as Nasum Ahmed, Shekh Mahedi and if required Mahmudullah Riad and Soumya Sarkar to take care of bowling. Inclusion of leg spinner Rishad Hossein in the squad is a smart decision. Would have loved to see Mosaddeq Hossain in the squad also. Bangladesh should let senior players play at the 3rd ODI as they will also need some useful match practice.
We hope that Coach Haturasinghe will find answer some of his questions which remained not answered from his guided young team at the Asia Cup. A team tiger unit with the best possible available talents can still rock the world cup.
BDST: 1508 HRS, SEP 18, 2023
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