Why Mehidy Hasan Miraz Missed Out from the Litton-Shak Mahedi Led Squad

With the T20 World Cup approaching, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced a new squad for the upcoming tours of the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan. Wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das has been named as the full-time captain, with Shak Mahedi Hasan serving as his deputy for both series.

However, the omission of Mehidy Hasan Miraz from the squad—despite his impressive performances in the recent series against Zimbabwe—has raised questions.

Addressing the matter, Chief Selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu stated,

“Miraz is one of our most valuable players, especially in Tests and ODIs. His position in the world rankings reflects that. But with the World Cup in mind, we decided to hold him back a bit. In T20s, where each bowler gets only four overs, Shak Mahedi currently holds a slight edge.”

He further explained:

“If we had more room, and if Nahid Rana was available on time, we might have reduced one pacer to add an extra batter. With Litton at No. 3, and Towhid Hridoy, Shamim, Anik, and Shanto in the middle order, there wasn’t space for one more name. Had it been possible, I would have liked to include him. Miraz is a fantastic player who can adapt to any situation, and we want to keep him involved so he doesn't stay out of the T20 setup for long. If needed for team combination, we can bring him back. If those we’ve selected don't perform as expected, we’ll make adjustments immediately.”

Meanwhile, players like Naim Sheikh and Mahidul Islam Ankon, who have consistently shown their potential in BPL and domestic cricket, were also left out of the national squad. However, they have been named in the Bangladesh 'A' squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand.

Chief Selector Lipu commented on this too:

“New Zealand 'A' is by no means a weak team. Performing in white-ball cricket there can reveal potential even more than T20s. Naim has also done well in red-ball cricket. It’s the same with Ankon. It’s an opportunity to sharpen themselves before returning to international cricket. There are more matches ahead, and opportunities will come, In Shaa Allah.”