Najmul Hossain to Lead Bangladesh Against Afghanistan in ODI Series
Faruque Ahmed had earlier stated that Shakib would be available for the ODIs against Afghanistan. However, it has since been revealed that the seasoned all-rounder felt unprepared to take on the demands of international cricket at this time.
In a surprising turn of events, Najmul Hossain has been named captain of the Bangladesh team for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. This decision comes after Najmul had previously expressed doubts about his willingness to continue leading the national side. However, following discussions with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Faruque Ahmed, he was persuaded to take on the captaincy despite his initial reluctance.
While Najmul will lead the ODI squad, significant leadership changes are anticipated for the other formats. Mehidy Hasan has been appointed as the captain for the Test team, while the T20I side will likely be led by either Taskin Ahmed or Towhid Hridoy.
The final ODI squad is as follows: Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Zakir Hasan, Nazmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Vice Captain), Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, and Nahid Rana.
"The decision to miss this series came from Shakib himself, reflecting his current mental state," Ahmed explained. "The challenges that players face can be difficult to understand unless you're in their shoes. It's quite normal for mental obstacles to arise, no matter how strong one is."
Despite his absence from the series, there remains optimism regarding Shakib’s potential return to international cricket, especially with important tournaments on the horizon, including ODIs in the West Indies and the Champions Trophy. Ahmed expressed hope that Shakib will find his form again and rejoin the national team in the future.
The Bangladesh team is scheduled to depart for Dubai in two groups on November 2 and 3, with the ODI matches set to take place at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on November 6, 9, and 11.
