Mehidy Hasan Miraz Takes Over As Bangladesh ODI Captain

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has made an official announcement on Thursday regarding the appointment of their star all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz as their ODI captain for 12 months, starting immediately. In the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, Miraz will lead the team. Now the Bangladesh Cricket team have three different captains across the formats.

Mehidy replaced Najmul Hossain Shanto, taking over as the ODI captain of the team. However, Najmul will remain the Test captain of the team while Litton Das will continue to lead the T20I team. The Bangla Tigers have been on a disappointing run for a long time now. With their veteran player, Shakib Al Hasan, gradually stepping away from the responsibilities, the BCB has taken a crucial decision to hand over the responsibility to lead the team in the 50-over format. Although Najmul has always been a great player individually, however, he couldn’t capitalise his greatness when it comes to leading the team in the ODI format.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz - Bangladesh New Captain in ODIs

Talking about Mehidy Hasan Miraz, he has been a consistent performer for the team, whether it's bowling or batting. No one could forget his unbeaten match-winning century against India in 2022, which speaks volumes about how he manages the pressure in crucial situations. The 27-year-old talked about the responsibility he has been given.

"It is a huge honour for me to be entrusted with this responsibility by the board. Leading the country is a dream for any cricketer, and I am grateful for the confidence the board has shown in me,” Mehidy said.

“I have every faith in this team. We have the talent and the belief to play fearless cricket. I want us to perform with confidence, play without inhibition, and continue giving our best for the country," he added.

Mehidy has featured in 105 ODI matches and has scored 1617 runs at a decent average of 24.87, including six half-centuries and two centuries. Mehidy has batted in the lower-middle order most of the time in his career so far. Speaking about his bowling records in the ODI format, in 105 matches, he has taken 110 wickets with an impressive economy rate of 4.83.

Najmul Hossain Shanto To Be Part of Leadership Group

Mehidy Hasan Miraz got the opportunity to lead the team in four ODI matches last year when Najmul was injured; unfortunately, they lost all four ODIs, which was not a great start for Mehidy as a skipper. However, BCB's cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedeen believes that Mehidy’s consistency as an individual player and his maturity stand him out as the ideal candidate for the leadership responsibility in the ODI format.

"The board felt that Miraz's consistent performances with the bat and ball, his ability to fight and inspire the team, and his energetic presence on and off the field make him an ideal candidate to lead the ODI side during a transitional time," Nazmul Abedeen said. "We believe he has the temperament and maturity to take Bangladesh forward in this format."

Najmul led the team in 13 ODIs but managed to win only four of them. However, the most disappointing performance of the Bangladesh Cricket team under Najmul came during the Champions Trophy earlier this year after getting knocked out in the very first round of the tournament. Interestingly, Abdeen said that Najmul will continue to be a part of the leadership group, where he will share his experience to help Mehidy lead the team.

"We take this opportunity to thank Shanto for the positivity and character he has demonstrated as captain," Abedeen said. “He remains very much a part of the leadership group, and we know how important his batting is to the team.”

Bangladesh's next ODI assignment is in July during their tour of Sri Lanka. Mehidy Hasan Miraz's new journey as Bangladesh ODI captain will begin from that series, and he will be aiming to begin from a high.