When Bangladesh tours New Zealand in December, Najmul Hossain Shanto will captain the team in both ODIs and T20Is. Presently captaining the Test team against New Zealand is Shanto, while normal captain Shakib Al Hasan and his deputy Litton Das are not available. With his finger injury, Shakib is still sidelined, while Litton is back for both teams.
Chief selector Minhajul Abedin stated that Shakib’s damaged finger will require more time to recover. Abedin stated that following a second x-ray on December 8, the medical staff would be able to determine the extent of his damage. However, Bangladesh’s injury issues are greater; Ebadot Hossain is still recovering from September’s knee surgery, and Mahmudullah and Taskin have shoulder injuries.
In addition to the three injured players, Bangladesh’s ODI team is also without Mahedi Hasan and Nasum Ahmed. Afif Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Rishad Hossain, and new left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan have replaced them.
It is a great surprise that Soumya is playing in both ODIs and T20Is. His most recent ODI appearance was against New Zealand in September after a surprise call-up. He rejoined the team after a two-year absence, and in his lone innings, he made a duck against two balls. In the T20 World Cup in 2022, he scored 49 runs in four innings during his final T20I appearance.
In addition to Soumya, Tanvir Islam, Tanzim Hasan, and Mahedi Hasan have also earned calls-ups to the Twenty20 international team.
Bangladesh will take against Nelson, Dunedin, and Napier in three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) on December 17, 20, and 23. The dates of the three T20Is are December 27, 29, and 31.
IN: Rakibul Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, and Afif Hossain
OUT: Mahedi Hasan, Mahmudullah, Taskin Ahmed, Nasum Ahmed, and Shakib Al Hasan
The following players are part of the Bangladesh ODI team: Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Rishad Hossain, Rakibul Hasan, Anamul Haque, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Afif Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Anamul Haque, Tanzid Hasan, and Soumya Sarkar
IN: Tanzim Hasan, Tanvir Islam, Mahedi Hasan, and Soumya Sarkar
OUT: Taskin Ahmed, Nasum Ahmed, and Shakib Al Hasan
Bangladesh T20I team: Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahedi Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Tanzim Hasan, Litton Das, Rony Talukdar, Tawhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Afif Hossain, Soumya Sarkar
