After the tension over Shamims exclusion, everything returns to normal, Liton clear about captaincy

On the eve of the series, the tension created over team selection—an unusually rare incident in Bangladesh cricket—has finally settled. Despite a faltering start on the field, Bangladesh bounced back with commanding performances in the last two matches to seal the series, restoring a family-like atmosphere within the squad. One week after the chaotic episode, Liton Das and his teammates now say in unison that the misunderstanding has been resolved and the team is united as before.

The controversy began when Shamim Hossain Patowary was excluded from the squad for the first two T20Is, prompting captain Liton Das to express strong displeasure. He claimed that he had not been informed of the decision. Later, he brought his frustration into the open at a press conference. In Shamim’s place, Mahidul Islam Ankon was picked—another decision Liton strongly opposed.

Once the disagreement became public, the situation grew more complicated. Questions even arose about whether Liton would continue as captain. That alone created unease both inside and outside the team environment.

Liton’s frustration was not directed solely at the selection panel; he also hinted at dissatisfaction with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). According to him, the board had told him that he must play with “whatever team is given.” The heated situation was further intensified when Bangladesh lost the opening match. However, the team bounced back strongly with wins in the next two matches.

After securing the series in Chattogram, Liton addressed the earlier controversy in the post-match press conference. Admitting that the situation was far from ideal for the country’s cricket, he said,
“Look, a lot happened in the heat of the moment, from both sides. But what happened was not good for cricket. These things will not happen in the future, and afterward we sat down and talked things through properly. That was a good thing.”

Before the third T20I, chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu travelled to Chattogram and held discussions with Liton and head coach Phil Simmons at the team hotel. Liton said that this meeting helped clear all misunderstandings.

After last week’s press conference, Liton’s comments hinted at some uncertainty about his future as captain. This time, however, he firmly dismissed such speculation, saying,
“I don’t know why this is coming up. I did not say anything like that in the press conference. No, no, nothing like that. This is something no cricketer would do—(resigning from captaincy) at such a time. In fact, I won’t do it. I have pulled this team up from one place to another and brought it here. The team is now organised. And every player dreams of playing in the World Cup. From that perspective, I can say such a thing will never happen.”

Bangladesh have no international series before the T20 World Cup, scheduled for February–March in India and Sri Lanka. During this period, the players will remain busy with the BPL. Thus, this series win stands as Bangladesh’s final tune-up ahead of the global event.