Senior players must step aside at some point to allow the new generation to take their spot. Bangladesh's senior cricketers will most likely retire in the near future. Therefore, Bangladesh Cricket Board has planned to incorporate some fresh new faces in the national team set up following a terrible performance in the just ended T20 World Cup 2021. According to reports, six players would be rested or unavailable due to injuries for the upcoming BAN vs. PAK 2021 contest. Let's take a look at Bangladesh's potential playing XI for the T20I series.
Bangladesh's Prospective T20I playing XI for the Pakistan series
According to various reports, Shakib Al Hasan (hamstring injury), Mohammad Saifuddin (back injury), Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, and Rubel Hossain are the six players who are expected to miss the Pakistan T20I series. Neither of these players has been spotted practicing in Mirpur. The selectors may choose six or seven players in their replacement. Parvez Hossain Emon, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Yasir Ali, Saif Hasan, Tanvir Islam, Aminul Islam Biplob, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, and Shohidul Islam are among the likely candidates for a place in the Twenty20 squad.
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Probable Bangladesh’s Playing XI (for the first T20I)
Batting/Top Order
Parvez Hossain Emon
T20: 24 | Runs: 563 | HS: 100* | SR: 123.73
Parvez Hossain is a gifted cricketer who was a part of the U19 World Cup 2020 winning team. Parvez is now Bangladesh's fastest T20 centurion.
Mohammad Naim
T20: 74 | Runs: 1828 | HS: 105 | SR: 113.39
Mohammad Naim was the highest scorer for Bangladesh in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. He will most likely play the anchor role in the forthcoming BAN vs. PAK 2021 series.
Najmul Hossain Shanto
T20: 78 | Runs: 1584 | HS: 115* | SR: 128.99
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Najmul Hossain will most likely play at number 3 in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan. Najmul has shown promise in Test cricket, but his white-ball career on the international stage has been far from good.
Batting/Middle Orders
Mahmudullah Riyad
T20: 260 | Runs: 4,820 | HS: 70* | SR: 119.27 | Wkts: 123 | BBI: 3/6 | Econ: 7.02
Mahmudullah Riyad had a difficult time as captain in the T20 World Cup. He made several mistakes when it came to making decisions. Riyad needs to bounce back both as a captain and as a batter.
Afif Hossain
T20: 106 | Runs: 1719 | HS: 76 | SR: 126.58 | Wkts: 28 | BBI: 5/21 | Econ: 8.73
Afif Hossain could be promoted to the top of the order. He would have to shoulder extra responsibilities in the absence of Mushfiqur Rahim.
Shamim Hossain
T20: 39 | Runs: 538 | HS: 52* | SR: 139.37
U19 World Cup winner Shamim Hossain is a hard-hitting batter. He has the potential to be a vital player in the death overs.
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Nurul Hasan
T20: 132 | Runs: 1807 | HS: 79* | SR: 128.61
Nurul Hasan is Bangladesh's best wicketkeeper, and he will play in the next T20I series against Pakistan.
Mahedi Hasan
T20: 91 | Runs: 1017 | HS: 92 | SR: 126.65 | Wkts: 81 | BBI: 4/22 | Econ: 6.99
Mahedi Hasan played fairly well with the ball in the T20 World Cup, but he struggled with the bat. Mahedi's off-spin could be very useful in the series against Pakistan.
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Bowling
Taskin Ahmed
T20: 100 | Wkts: 112 | BBI: 5/31 | Econ: 8.31
Taskin Ahmed has been exceptional with the ball since returning to international cricket earlier this year. He was Bangladesh's most impressive bowler during the T20 World Cup 2021.
Mustafizur Rahman
T20: 167 | Wkts: 219 | BBI: 5/22 | Econ: 7.31
Left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman was a complete disappointment at the World Cup due to the unfavorable UAE conditions. However, he will be an effective bowler in this condition at home.
Nasum Ahmed
T20: 60 | Wkts: 50 | BBI: 4/10 | Econ: 6.50
Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed could be Mahmudullah's best weapon in this series. He will lead Bangladesh's spin attack in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan.
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Bottom Line
There is no shortage of talented cricketers in Bangladesh. A significant number of high-quality cricketers will develop in the future if properly nurtured. Some of the players that won the U19 World Cup 2020 will be given the opportunity to exhibit their abilities in the upcoming BAN vs. PAK T20I series. Many cricket analysts think that if these players are properly groomed, they would take Bangladesh cricket to the next level.
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