After Tamim Iqbal’s resignation, Bangladesh Cricket Board in talks with Shakib Al Hasan to become Bangladesh’s ODI captain

Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz are also in contention to take over the job.

After Tamim Iqbal’s resignation, Bangladesh Cricket Board in talks with Shakib Al Hasan to become Bangladesh’s ODI captain

Shakib Al Hasan (Image via ICC Cricket)

Bangladesh’s seasoned cricketer Tamim Iqbal recently resigned from his ODI captain position. However, the veteran opener will continue to serve Bangladesh as a player. Iqbal’s resignation means the ODI captain’s seat is vacant in a World Cup year. While Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) appointed Litton Das after Iqbal had announced his sudden retirement before reversing his decision, the board now wants Shakib Al Hasan to take up the job. 

Most of the BCB members want Shakib to lead the team at the Asia Cup and then the World Cup as the all-rounder is the most experienced among the current lot. The responsibility to persuade Shakib to take up Bangladesh’s ODI captain role is with BCB President Nazmul Hasan. 

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It was decided after a board meeting at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Tuesday (8 August). 

“We had an emergency meeting today. There was an issue regarding captaincy, as we were scheduled to decide on the Asia Cup captain. We gave the responsibility of selecting the ODI skipper to our board president,” BCB’s cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus told reporters (via Cricbuzz). 

Also Read: India’s squad for ODI World Cup: Tussle between Shardul Thakur and Jaydev Unadkat as Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid almost finalize squad for World Cup

Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz also in contention to become Bangladesh ODI captain

mehidy hasan miraz litton das
Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Litton Das (Images via ICC, India Today)

Apart from Shakib Al Hasan, there are two more candidates who are in contention to become the next Bangladesh ODI captain. However, Shakib is the frontrunner considering the immediate goals i.e. to field a strong team for the Asia Cup and World Cup. 

The only issue that pops up is if Shakib Al Hasan would be ready to take up the captaincy in all three formats considering he is already Test and T20I captain. The BCB members have a potential solution for that as well. They want Shakib to captain the side in white-ball cricket while Litton Das will be groomed in the Test captain role. 

The announcement about the same will be made latest by 12 August (the deadline for the Asia Cup squad announcement). 

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