The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is on the verge of revealing the name of Bangladesh’s new ODI captain. After conducting discussions with the candidates, board president Nazmul Hassan is expected to make the announcement later this week. While Shakib Al Hasan is reportedly the front-runner for the position, Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz are also in contention.

An Unresolved Decision

During an emergency meeting on Monday, the BCB couldn’t finalize the appointment as they wanted to consider the candidates’ viewpoints as well. The squad for the upcoming Asia Cup needs to be announced by August 12, leaving the BCB with just a few days to reach a decision. Shakib is currently in Colombo, Litton has recently returned to Bangladesh after participating in the Global T20 Canada, and Mehidy is in Dhaka.

Hassan had previously stated that appointing Shakib as the ODI captain would be an “easy decision.” However, it appears that the situation is more complex than initially anticipated. Shakib already holds the position of Bangladesh’s Test and T20I captain, and it remains uncertain whether he desires the leadership role across all formats.

Seeking the Candidates’ Input

Jalal Yunus, the BCB’s cricket operations chairman, provided insights into the board’s approach. He stated, “After our emergency meeting today, the board has entrusted the president to discuss the matter with the captaincy candidates by August 12. The president will hear about who will lead in which format, and whether that player agrees with it or not. We want to hear it from the candidates what they feel about captaining the red and white-ball teams.”

Yunus emphasized that the immediate goal is to appoint a captain for the Asia Cup. The team must be submitted by August 12. However, discussions regarding the World Cup captaincy can take place until September 5, which is the deadline for squad declaration. The BCB aims to consider the new captain’s opinions before making any further decisions.

Balancing the Schedule

To ensure the smooth functioning of the team, Bangladesh is expected to announce a 22-member preliminary squad for the World Cup by August 12. This squad will include all the players participating in the Asia Cup, which is set to commence on August 30.

The ODI captaincy became vacant when Tamim Iqbal resigned on August 3, following his withdrawal from the Asia Cup due to a back injury. Tamim aims to regain fitness in time for the ODI series against New Zealand, scheduled to begin on September 21, followed by the ODI World Cup.

Tamim’s Decision Reversal

Tamim’s resignation came shortly after he made an emotional decision to retire from international cricket. On July 6, he announced his retirement, but the following day, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requested him to reconsider, and he agreed. It was speculated that Hassan’s comments to a local media outlet, questioning Tamim’s professionalism and fitness, had triggered his hasty retirement.

Deep discussions and careful consideration are underway within the BCB to appoint the ideal candidate for the ODI captaincy. The board is committed to ensuring the team’s success in the upcoming Asia Cup and World Cup tournaments. Stay tuned for the official announcement of Bangladesh’s new ODI captain, which is expected to be made in the coming days.

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