Liton to lead against Afghans

In the end, the Bangladesh Cricket Board went with the obvious choice.

Since Bangladesh National Cricket Team’s regular Test skipper Shakib Al Hasan was injured last month, questions came about regarding who would flip the coin against Afghanistan in the one-off Test starting June 14.

Liton Das, the vice-captain from the Ireland series, was the obvious choice. However, two other names popped up as options too – Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

There were many words sent back and forth in the last week but in the end, it is Liton who will lead the Tigers in their Afghanistan test as BCB announced the 15-member squad for the series on Sunday.

This will be the first time Liton leads the national team in red-ball cricket, with him captaining Bangladesh in One-Day Internationals already against India at the end of last year when Tamim Iqbal was out with an injury.

He will become the 12th Test captain for Bangladesh, and the third wicketkeeper-batter to do so after Khaled Mashud and Mushfiqur Rahim.

Shahadat, Mushfik new faces

There are two new faces in the 15-man squad BCB announced for the upcoming series as Shahadat Hossain Dipu and Mushfik Hasan found a spot.

Shahadat, part of the 2020 Under-19 World Cup-winning squad, has been a regular performer in the domestic circuit in recent years. He has 1265 runs in 20 first-class matches, including two centuries and 10 fifties. In Bangladesh A team’s recent three-match four-day series, Shahadat scored 146 runs in four innings, including a couple of fifties.

Mushfik has also been consistent with the red ball in hand in the domestic circuit as he has 49 wickets in 13 first-class matches, including three five-wicket hauls. In the A team’s recent series, he picked up five wickets in three innings.