Bangladesh announce T20I squad vs India post-Shakib Al Hasan era; Mehidy Hasan returns

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has revealed its 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against India, starting on October 6 in Gwalior. All-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz makes his return to the T20I format, having already made a name in Tests and ODIs. Mehidy last played a T20I for Bangladesh in July 2023 and is expected to bring stability to the team in the absence of the legendary Shakib Al Hasan.

Shakib Al Hasan’s Retirement and Tribute
Shakib Al Hasan’s retirement from T20Is marks a significant transition for Bangladesh cricket. BCB Chief Selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain paid tribute to Shakib’s immense contribution and expressed confidence in Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s ability to fill the void. Hossain emphasized that while Shakib’s experience is irreplaceable, Mehidy’s role in the middle order, especially as a batter, could be pivotal.

New Faces in the Squad
The squad includes some interesting changes, with opener Parvez Hossain Emon and left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan making their way back. However, Soumya Sarkar, who was part of Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup squad earlier in the year, has been omitted. While Emon and Rakibul have only played 3 T20Is for Bangladesh, they may find it challenging to break into a first XI that already features established players like Mahmudullah, Litton Das, Jaker Ali, and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.

Bangladesh T20I Squad for Series Against India

  • 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

India T20I Squad for Series Against Bangladesh

  • Suryakumar Yadav (c)
  • Abhishek Sharma
  • Sanju Samson (wk)
  • Rinku Singh
  • Hardik Pandya
  • Riyan Parag
  • Nitish Kumar Reddy
  • Shivam Dube
  • Washington Sundar
  • Ravi Bishnoi
  • Varun Chakaravarthy
  • Jitesh Sharma (wk)
  • Arshdeep Singh
  • Harshit Rana
  • Mayank Yadav

The upcoming series will mark the first for Bangladesh without Shakib Al Hasan in the T20I format, and all eyes will be on how the new squad performs against a young Indian side led by Suryakumar Yadav.