Cricket fans had high expectations towards Bangladesh's 2019 World Cup team, led by Mashrafe Mortaza. But Bangladesh had to settle for eighth place after only managing seven points in nine games. The Bangladesh team was disappointed and returned home from England empty-handed. Ten cricketers from Bangladesh's WC'19 squad will be over 30 before the next World Cup. Therefore, some cricketers will be unable to participate in the forthcoming World Cup. Mashrafe Mortaza is almost likely to miss the next World Cup as BCB is searching for his replacement. What Bangladesh's World Cup 2023 squad would look like is discussed in this article.
How many aged players from the 2019 World Cup will take part in the next WC?
The 2023 World Cup will be held in India during the October-November window, so let's see how many players of the 2019 World Cup squad will be available in two years.
Ten players from Bangladesh's previous World Cup squad will be 30 years old or older before the next World Cup.
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Mashrafe Mortaza will turn 40 in October 2023. Mahmudullah Riyad will be 37. Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim will be 36. Bangladesh’s current ODI captain Tamim Iqbal will turn 34. Mohammad Mithun (33), Rubel Hossain (33), Sabbir Rahman (32), Soumya Sarkar (30), and Abu Jayed Rahi (30) all will be over 30 before the start of the 2023 World Cup.
Mashrafe Mortaza played his last World Cup in 2019 and BCB’S selectors are trying to find a suitable replacement for him. The process has already started, with a host of young and talented cricketers earning regular opportunities in international series.
Among others, Tamim, Shakib, Mushfiqur, and Mahmudullah, will certainly participate in the next World Cup. It's unlikely that Abu Zayed Rahi and Sabbir Rahman will play in the next World Cup. However, Mohammad Mithun, Soumya Sarkar, and Rubel Hossain may play in the upcoming 50-over World Cup in India.
Which other cricketers are the most likely to make the squad?
There are a number of talented cricketers among the youngsters. All of them have already caught the attention of selectors. Afif Hossain, Mohammad Naeem, Hasan Mahmud, Shariful Islam, Parvez Hossain Emon, and Mahadi Hasan are among these cricketers. Several more cricketers are predicted to come from the pipeline in the next two years.
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Mustafizur Rahman, Liton Das, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraj, and Mosaddek Hossain are all expected to participate in the 2023 World Cup, they all took part in the 2019 World Cup. These players are regularly participating and perform for the national team.
Taskin Ahmed, who missed the 2019 World Cup due to injury, has made a strong comeback to the national team following a two-year absence. Taskin would play in the next World Cup if he can maintain his fitness.
Overall, a strong Bangladesh team can be formed with a combination of youth and experience before the next World Cup. The team would certainly compete for the World Cup trophy.
Bottom Line
We got some idea of what Bangladesh's World Cup 2023 squad would look like in the above discussion. The World Cup in 2023 will begin in two years. During this time, Bangladesh will play a significant number of international series. BCB selectors should strive to put together the best squad possible, giving young and inexperienced cricketers more chances. Bangladesh always play well in the ODI format. Bangladesh have a good chance to surprise the cricketing world since the next World Cup will be held in familiar Indian weather.
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