BCB President Nazmul Hassan emphasized that Shakib Al Hasan is their top choice for the ODI captaincy position in the upcoming Asia Cup 2023, as Tamim Iqbal had to step down due to a back injury. Shakib, who currently captains the Test and T20I teams, has prior experience leading Bangladesh in 50-overs cricket, including the 2011 World Cup.
Earlier, Nazmul had stated that Litton Das would serve as the replacement ODI skipper in the upcoming Asia Cup in case Tamim was unavailable. However, with Tamim’s recent decision to step down from the position due to a back injury, Shakib has now become the leading candidate for the role, thanks to his extensive experience at the highest level of cricket.
Bangladesh is under pressure to appoint their next ODI captain promptly, as the selection panel needs to finalize the squad, and they can’t do so without knowing the leader of the 50-over format team. The urgency arises as the head coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, is due to arrive on August 8, and he will begin skill training for the players to prepare them for the upcoming Asia Cup. The tournament is slated to be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, starting from August 30.
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On Saturday, during a press conference in Dhaka, Nazmul stated, “We have not yet deliberated on the captaincy matter. We need some time to reflect and make a decision. As I mentioned earlier, appointing the vice-captain (Litton) for a single series could have been an option, but considering the long term, we must carefully consider our decision.”
