Chief selector relieved as West Indies lack a spinner like Rashid Khan

The ODI series against Afghanistan turned into a nightmare for Bangladesh. The Tigers failed to bat through the full 50 overs in any of the three matches, falling victim to the brilliance of Rashid Khan’s spin. His variations — googly, leg-spin, and slower deliveries — proved too much for the likes of Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Saif Hassan, Towhid Hridoy, Zakir Hasan, and Nurul Hasan Sohan.

Reflecting on the dismal series, Bangladesh’s chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu didn’t hide his frustration.

“Our performance against Afghanistan has absolutely overshadowed our recent successes,” Lipu said in disappointment. “No one — not those watching, involved with cricket, or even the players themselves — expected such results. But yes, our weaknesses, especially in batting, were completely exposed. We must overcome them as quickly as possible.”

Lipu also expressed regret over the team’s inability to bat the full 50 overs.

“What hurts most for the players right now is that we couldn’t even spend enough time at the crease. We’re consistently failing to bat out 50 overs, and against Afghanistan, we couldn’t even manage half of that properly.”

However, Bangladesh now turns its focus to the upcoming home series against the West Indies, starting Saturday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. All three ODIs will be played at the same venue. Without a world-class spinner like Rashid Khan in the opposition, Lipu believes the Tigers can find some relief.

“Our next opponent is West Indies. We’re not playing in Abu Dhabi, but on our home turf in Mirpur. And the opposition doesn’t have spinners of Rashid’s quality. That’s definitely a bit of a relief for us.”

After the whitewash defeat, Bangladesh has had little time to rest or recover before returning to action. Lipu admits that bouncing back both mentally and physically will be a tough task.

“Carrying the pain of such a loss is extremely difficult for any player. They are mentally and physically exhausted — no doubt about that. But I believe that coming back to the field quickly could actually help. If we can perform well and find success again, it will help us recover from the humiliation we suffered against Afghanistan — especially with the bat.”