The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday announced the team's squad for the upcoming three-match series against India, starting from October 6 onwards. The BCB has recalled star all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz following Shakib Al Hasan's decision to retire from T20Is and Tests.
Mehidy has been called into the team for the first time after 14 months. He is a regular and a key all-rounder in the ODIs and Tests but was away from the shortest format for a while. The board has also called opener Parvez Hossain Emon and left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan.
Shakib announced on Thursday that he is retiring from Tests and T20Is. He stated that the T20 World Cup 2024 was his final T20I match, while he wants the Dhaka Test against South Africa to be his last. But if the South Africa Tests do not go ahead, the second Test against India in Kanpur would be his last.
Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain stated that replacing Shakib would be very tough. "The great Shakib Al Hasan has already announced that he has played his last T20I for Bangladesh," Ashraf said.
"We don't have anyone to replace his experience and performance but we feel that Mehidy Hasan Miraz is a good batter who can handle the middle order. Mehidy can play as a batter. We didn't pick him in the previous [T20] World Cup as we usually feel that he has a strong role as an allrounder in Tests and ODIs.
"We didn't feel his bowling was a great option in the powerplay in T20s. We didn't want to disturb his rhythm in the other formats. This is why he wasn't in our T20 World Cup plans, which we had clearly communicated to him. We are hopeful of seeing him higher in the order, just above the finisher's role," he added.
The T20I series between India and Bangladesh began on October 6 in Gwalior, followed by the second in Delhi on October 9 and in Hyderabad on October 12.
Bangladesh T20I squad for India series:
Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Litton Das, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rakibul Hasan.
