Mehidy Hasan Miraz will continue to captain Bangladesh in the absence of regular skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto for the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies. Shanto remains sidelined due to a groin strain, while Mehidy had already been handed leadership responsibilities for the ongoing Test series, where the West Indies lead 1-0.
Bangladesh's squad has been significantly impacted by player absences. Veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who retired from Tests and T20Is earlier this year, has not been included, with BCB President Faruque Ahmed explaining that Shakib was not mentally ready to return to international cricket.
"Right now, Shakib is still in the list," Ahmed said. "We hope that the issues get solved in the way he wants. Definitely, he still possesses the capability to play for the national team. Playing for a franchise and playing for the country is not the same thing. You need preparation, and also you really need to gel with the team. Since he can't do those things, I don't think he is in a mental state to play for the country. Because of that, we have left this thing up to him."
Towhid Hridoy and Mushfiqur Rahim will also miss the series, with Hridoy nursing a groin injury sustained during a football game and Mushfiqur recovering from a finger injury. Mustafizur Rahman has opted out due to personal reasons, and left-handed opener Zakir Hasan has been dropped from the squad.
On a brighter note, Litton Das returns to the ODI side after missing the Afghanistan series in November. The squad also sees the inclusion of Parvez Hossain Emon, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Hasan Mahmud, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib, adding depth to the lineup.
Shakib, meanwhile, last featured for Bangladesh during the Tests against India but has since played in the Abu Dhabi T10 for the Bangla Tigers. His absence from Bangladesh's farewell Test against South Africa in October was linked to political unrest and allegations that surfaced during that period. Ahmed confirmed that Shakib remains an option for ODI selection but stressed the need for him to be fully prepared and mentally aligned with the national team.
The ODI squad is set to depart from Dhaka on Monday, joining the other players in St. Kitts for the three matches scheduled on December 8, 10, and 12.
Bangladesh ODI Squad vs West Indies
- Captain: Mehidy Hasan Miraz
- Wicketkeeper: Litton Das
- Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Parvez Hossain, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Afif Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan, Nahid Rana
The series promises to test the new-look Bangladeshi side as they aim to overcome the absence of key players and build momentum under Mehidy’s leadership.