Mosaddek Hussain Recalled to Bangladesh ODI Squad

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced a 15-man squad for the first two fixtures of the upcoming One Day International (ODI) series against Australia. The most notable inclusion is the return of all-rounder Mosaddek Hussain, who earns a national recall nearly four years after his last ODI appearance, which took place against Zimbabwe in August 2022.

Key Structural Squad Changes

The newly announced squad features significant changes from the team that last featured in an ODI series against New Zealand in April. Middle-order batsman Afif Hussain and wicketkeeper-batsman Mahidul Islam Ankon have been dropped from the national side. In their place, the national selectors have drafted in Mosaddek Hussain and wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan.

During the previous series against New Zealand, Mahidul Islam did not feature in the playing XI for any of the matches, whilst Afif Hussain managed to score 27 runs off 49 deliveries in his sole appearance.

Addressing these exclusions, Chief Selector Habibul Bashar explained that the decision was driven primarily by strategic requirements:

“We could not provide Mahidul with many opportunities. I cannot say we gave Afif enough chances either; he probably deserved a bit more game time. At this moment, we have made some tactical changes.”

Domestic Form and Selector Justification

The inclusion of Mosaddek and Nurul comes on the back of strong performances in the domestic circuit, specifically the Premier League. Chief Selector Habibul Bashar highlighted Mosaddek’s current batting form as a key asset for the lower-middle order, stating:

“Mosaddek is batting very well at the moment. His skills will be highly beneficial for us at number six. He is an experienced cricketer who has played before and is in excellent form in the Premier League. We intend to utilise his all-round capabilities.”

Regarding Nurul Hasan’s inclusion, Bashar noted that for the number six or seven batting positions, Nurul was deemed a more suitable option than other wicketkeeper-batsmen based on his recent output.

Recent Domestic Statistics in the Premier League

Series Schedule and Venue

The bilateral series between Bangladesh and Australia will be hosted at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. The three-match ODI series will be followed by a three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series between the two nations.

• First ODI: 9 June

• Second ODI: 11 June

• Third ODI: 14 June

Official Bangladesh ODI Squad

The 15-man squad will be led by all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The full squad selected for the first two ODIs against Australia is as follows:

Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Captain), Soumya Sarkar, Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain, Towhid Hridoy, Litton Das, Mosaddek Hussain, Nurul Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana.