In a significant shake-up following their disappointing Champions Trophy exit, Bangladesh have unveiled a revamped 16-man squad for next month's three-match One-Day International series against Sri Lanka. The squad, announced on Monday, sees the return of five players, most notably T20I skipper Litton Das.
The changes were, in part, necessitated by the recent retirements of seasoned campaigners Mahmudullah (international cricket) and Mushfiqur Rahim (ODIs), both of whom called time on their careers within weeks of Bangladesh's premature departure from the Champions Trophy.
Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain addressed the decision to bring back Litton Das, despite his recent struggles in the format. "Litton Das was in a bad patch but time is the best healer," Ashraf explained. "He is the T20 captain, so we can consider him till the next T20 World Cup. We believe a sustained period in the middle is crucial for him to regain form, and we're confident he can translate his ODI performances into T20Is." Das had scored a mere 35 runs in his last eight ODIs, leading to his omission from the Champions Trophy squad.
Alongside Das, the selectors have handed recalls to opener Mohammad Naim, middle-order batter Shamim Hossain, burgeoning left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam (his first ODI call-up), and pace merchant Hasan Mahmud. Ashraf praised Naim's recent domestic form, highlighting his ability to bat with "the same intensity as our [recent] white-ball openers" in the Dhaka Premier League.
Notably absent from the squad is Soumya Sarkar, one of two active players dropped along with Nasum Ahmed. Ashraf cited a string of injuries as the reason for Sarkar's omission. "Soumya Sarkar has had three injuries in the last 12-15 months," he elaborated, including an ACL injury, a finger issue, and a recent back spasm. "We want to help him recover fully, so that he can come back properly."
The selectors have also opted for a strong fast-bowling contingent of five players. This, Ashraf noted, is to manage the workload of returning injury concerns Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed, as well as the emerging Nahid Rana.
The series begins on July 2nd in Colombo, with the second ODI on July 5th also in the Sri Lankan capital. The final encounter takes place in Pallekele on July 8th.
Bangladesh Squad for Sri Lanka ODIs: Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Mohammad Naim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Litton Das, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud.
