Bangladesh Cricket Board on Saturday announced its squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. The team will be led by Shakib Al Hasan for the regional ODI tournament. The team has called up young players Tanzid Tamim and Shamim Hossain in the squad while Mahedi Hasan also makes a return.
Shakib Al Hasan was named ODI captain of the Bangladesh team for the Asia Cup and ODI World Cup on Saturday as he replaced Tamim Iqbal. The opening batter Iqbal stepped down from ODI captaincy after pulling out from the Asia Cup due to injury.
Tazid Hasan, nicknamed Tamim, gets an International call-up on the back of a good Emerging Asia Cup campaign. The 22-year-old scored three fifties in the tournament. Meanwhile, young batter Shamim, who has been a regular face in T20Is for Bangladesh, and now gets a maiden call-up for ODIs. He has played 17 T20Is, scoring 245 runs and a fifty.
All-rounder Mahedi Hasan has been recalled into the side. The 28-year-old has played three ODIs and 38 T20Is for his national team. Mahedi's last ODI game came in March 2021 against New Zealand.
Shakib takes over as ODI captain
Meanwhile, veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will be leading the team in the upcoming Asia Cup, the ODI series against New Zealand and the World Cup in India. He is already the Test and T20I captain of the team.
"We have appointed Shakib as the captain for Asia Cup and World Cup. The World Cup and Asia Cup squads will be announced tomorrow. The selectors will pick a squad of 17 members," Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan told reporters on Friday.
However, Hasan also stated that they will speak to him about his longevity in the role, considering Shakib is also the Test and ODI captain. "We have to know his long-term plan. I spoke to him on the phone yesterday. But it is better if we talk to him in person since he is busy with a franchise league currently. We will also talk about which format he will keep leading, whether it is all three formats or one or two of them," he added.
Bangladesh squad for Asia Cup:
Shakib Al Hasan (c), Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mamhud, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Shamim Hossain, Afif Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Mohammad Naim
