BAN vs AFG Series 2023: Bangladesh ODI Squad Analysis

The Test match for the BAN vs AFG series 2023 is over. The Afghans will come back on July 1 for the three-match ODI series and two T20I matches. The ODI series will start on July 5, and the other two matches will take place on July 8 and July 11 at Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. All the matches will start at 2:00 pm Bangladesh time and will be in the day-night format. Bangladesh Cricket Board has announced the squad for the ODI series. Let’s go over the prospects of this squad.

Bangladesh ODI Squad to Play Against Afghanistan

Squad: Tamim Iqbal (capt), Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Afif Hossain, Mohammad Naim

In: Mohammad Naim, Afif Hossain, Taskin Ahmed

Out: Yasir Ali, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Rony Talukdar

Bangladesh ODI Squad Analysis for BAN VS AFG Series 2023

Mohammad Naim and Afif Hossain have been recalled to join the Bangladesh team for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan next month. Taskin Ahmed, who couldn’t play in the games against Ireland last month, is also back in the team. Unfortunately, this time there won’t be a place for Yasir Ali, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, and Rony Talukdar in the squad.

Taskin, who performed exceptionally well by taking four wickets in the second innings of the single Test against Afghanistan, has fully recovered from a side strain. As for Naim, he has made a comeback to the ODI squad after a two-year break. In the Dhaka Premier League, Naim displayed remarkable batting skills by scoring the highest number of runs, scoring 932 runs in 16 innings with an impressive average of 71.69 and a strike rate of 91.64. It seems that the selectors are considering Naim as a potential substitute opening batsman for Rony in the upcoming World Cup in India later this year. Both Taskin and Naim are potential strengths for the Bangladesh team.

Afif, who was not selected for the home ODI series against Ireland, has made a comeback to the team due to his outstanding performances in the recent DPL. He showcased his skills and impressed the selectors with his consistent performances. Additionally, Afif had the opportunity to lead the Bangladesh A side in two out of the three unofficial Tests against the West Indies A. However, he missed the last game, stating that he was tired and needed rest.

Yasir is one of the three players who were not included in the ODI squad for the upcoming matches, despite being part of the squad last month. Yasir did not get a chance to play in Chelmsford, but he participated in two matches against Ireland in Sylhet back in March. On the other hand, Mrittunjoy, who made his debut in the ODI team in Chelmsford, has been replaced by Taskin in the squad.

Key Players in Bangladesh Squad in the 2023 BAN vs AFG ODI Series

Young players are now contributing to most of Bangladesh’s wins. We hope the following young players, along with veteran Mushfiqur Rahim, will lead Bangladesh in the upcoming ODI series.

Najmul Hossain Shanto

With 196 runs in three matches, Shanto was the top performer in the last Ireland vs Bangladesh series that took place in England. Apart from this, we have also seen his extraordinary performance in the Test match against the Afghans. So, he will likely show his brilliance again in the ODI series. Overall, he has played 24 ODI so far and scored 615 runs in total, with 117 highest scores. Considering his recent performance, it can be said that he might surpass his last batting figures.

Towhid Hridoy

So far, Hridoy has played only six ODI matches and has already scored 249 runs in total with a 49.80 average. He scored 108 runs in total in the last ODI series against Ireland. In his very first ODI match, Hridoy made history by achieving the highest run score ever recorded by a Bangladeshi player. He had a great opportunity to become the first player from Bangladesh to score a century while batting in the fifth-down position. However, he narrowly missed out on the world record by just 8 runs. Later Hridoy showed his potential against the Irish, and he will surely strike in the upcoming series.

Mushfiqur Rahim

For the last few ODI series, Mushfiqur has been in excellent form. During the Ireland series, Mushfiqur Rahim showed an impressive performance, scoring a total of 142 runs in three innings. With an outstanding average of 71, he proved to be a valuable asset for the Bangladesh team. His consistent batting display contributed significantly to the team’s success in the series, and we can expect the same for the upcoming series.

Taskin Ahmed

Taskin has returned after an injury, and he was absent in the last series. After the return, we have seen his excellent performance in the Test match. This year, Taskin has played 5 ODI matches but bowled in four matches. He took nine wickets in these four matches with 3/26 best bowling innings. He has helped Bangladesh win matches several times. Therefore, fans have high expectations that he will once again demonstrate his best performance, just like he did in the previous ODI series Against England.

Ebadot Hossain

Ebadot Hossain stood out as one of the leading wicket-takers in the Bangladesh vs Ireland home series, having taken a total of 6 wickets. However, he could not do well in Chelmsford against the Irish and took only two wickets. But his incredible performance on the home ground is truly admirable. So, we can expect that he will demonstrate his aggressiveness against the Afghans. And we have seen his fierce bowling in the Test match as he took five wickets.

Final Words

Tamim Iqbal will take charge as the team captain of Bangladesh squad for this series, and he will be joined by Shakib Al Hasan, who has also been included in the squad. Both Tamim and Shakib had been recovering from injuries, which is why they were not part of the recently concluded Test match in Dhaka. Now, they are ready to contribute to the team’s efforts in the upcoming 2023 BAN vs AFG ODI series.