Bangladesh have left their experienced duo of Litton Das and Shakib Al Hasan out of the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 squad. Bangladesh released a statement to announce the 15-member squad for next month’s highly-anticipated tournament. The high-profile axing of players comes on the back of Litton’s dry run of form. In the ODIs, the wicketkeeper batter has struggled to post a single fifty in his last 13 innings. During this run in the last seven innings, he has been dismissed for single-digit scores six times.

Shakib’s exclusion comes amid his suspension from bowling in ICC events. Due to an illegal bowling action, the 37-year-old was suspended from bowling in top-flight cricket. He recently failed the second test of independent assessment of his action.

Apart from Litton and Shakib, other notable exclusions in Bangladesh’s squad are all-rounder Afif Hossain and the pace duo of Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud.

Experienced middle-order batter Mahmudullah has retained his place in the squad. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Rishad Hossain will be the two frontline spinners for Bangladesh.

Najmul Hossain Shanto has returned to the ODI fold as the skipper of the side after missing the West Indies tour due to a hamstring injury last November. Other notable returnees in Bangladesh’s squad include Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy and Mustafizur Rahman.

The most notable inclusion in Bangladesh’s squad features Parvez Hossai Emon, who has been handed his maiden ODI call-up. The 22-year-old wicketkeeper has seven T20I outings under his belt, scoring 88 runs at an average of 12.57.

Young prodigy and pace gun Nahid Rana, who made his debut in the format in the recent series against the West Indies, has been included in the squad. In three ODI appearances, the Bangladesh tearaway has four scalps, averaging 31.50 with an economy of 4.72.

Bangladesh will face the last edition’s finalist in their campaign opener in Dubai on February 20.

Bangladesh squad for Champions Trophy: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Towhid Hridoy, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan, Nahid Rana.

Experienced Bangladesh batter Mushfiqur Rahim will miss the upcoming two-match Test series against the West Indies, scheduled to start on November 22. Rahim has been ruled out of the Tests due to a finger injury. Rahim sustained a fracture on the tip of his left index finger while keeping wickets during the first ODI against Afghanistan in Sharjah on November 6, an injury that subsequently sidelined him from the ongoing three-match ODI series. His availability for the ODI series of three matches starting from December 8 is also unclear, as per ICC.

According to medical assessments, his recovery is expected to require four to six weeks, thus ruling him out of the Test series against the West Indies.

Following the Test series, Bangladesh are scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20Is against the West Indies.

Mushfiqur, who has already retired from T20I cricket, will join the team for the ODI leg of the tour if his recovery progresses as expected.

In the opening ODI against Afghanistan, the right-hand batter came in to bat lower than usual due to his injury, but was later ruled out of the remainder of the series. He could score just one run in the run chase of 236 and Bangladesh folded for 143 runs. However, they made a comeback in the second ODI to win it by 68 runs. The third and final ODI will take place on Monday at Sharjah.

He is expected to return to Bangladesh soon to focus on his recovery.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh team management has not yet named a replacement for Mushfiqur in the ongoing ODI series against Afghanistan.

Bangladesh Test squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque Showrab, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Litton Das (wk), Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (vc), Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, Hasan Murad.

File image of Mushfiqur Rahim.© AFP

South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada took his 300th wicket and Wiaan Mulder bagged three others as Bangladesh collapsed to 60-6 at lunch on the first day of the opening Test in Mirpur. Opening batsman Mahmudul Hasan Joy was 16 not out after Mehidy Hasan Miraz was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj for 13 in the last over before the break. Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto earlier won the toss and chose to bat but Mulder soon struck with the new ball. The seamer removed Shadman Islam for a duck when he edged to captain Aiden Markram at slip with his fourth ball.  In his next over, Mulder accounted for Mominul Haque, on four, who nicked an inswinger to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne to leave Bangladesh 13-2.

Rabada became the first bowler ever to take 300 Test wickets in under 12000 deliveries.

Fewest balls taken for 300 Test wickets

11817 – Kagiso Rabada (SA)*

12602 – Waqar Younis (PAK)

12605 – Dale Steyn (SA)

13672 – Allan Donald (SA)

Najmul had made just seven when he became Mulder’s third victim, flicking to mid-off where Maharaj took the catch. 

Bangladesh were teetering at 21-3 which became 40-4 when Mushfiqur Rahim on 11 was bowled by Rabada between bat and pad as the South African celebrated reaching the 300-wicket landmark.

He soon made it 301 Test wickets, removing Litton Das for just one, with Tristan Stubbs taking a stunning catch diving to his left in the gully. 

The Test is the first international cricket fixture in Bangladesh since a student-led revolution toppled autocratic premier Sheikh Hasina in August.

Bangladesh are missing all-rounder Shakib al Hasan after security fears forced him to cancel plans to return home.

Shakib announced his retirement from international cricket last month but said that he wanted to play one last red-ball series at home.

The 37-year-old was also a former lawmaker in the government ousted by the revolution, making him a target of public anger.

The series carries points towards the World Test Championship, with the final in England next year. 

Bangladesh have never beaten South Africa in a Test.

The second Test begins in Chattogram on October 29. 

Jasprit Bumrah uprooted Mushfiqur Rahim’s middle-stump with a stunner© X (Twitter)

Virat Kohli‘s ‘sledging history’ with Mushfiqur Rahim came a point of discussion on commentary during Day 2 of the first Test match between India and Bangladesh in Chennai on Friday. When Mushfiqur came out to bat in the first innings, former Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal said on commentary that he expects something interesting considering his ‘history’ with Virat. It referred to Mushfiqur’s comments that Virat earlier sledged him on the field. Former India coach Ravi Shastri was in the commentary box with Tamim and did not miss the opportunity to take a cheeky dig.

“Mushfiqur Rahim is batting, Virat Kohli is in the slips. Watch out now. Keep an eye on them. They have quite the history,” Tamim said.

Reacting to Iqbal’s comments, Shastri asked, “What history?”

The ex-Bangladesh skipper replied – “Oh, you know, Ravi. You know what history I am talking about.”

Earlier, Mushfiqur said that Kohli tends to say things to him when he comes out to bat against India.

“Whenever I play against him, he always tries to sledge me every time I go in to bat because he is a really competitive guy and he doesn’t want to lose any cricket match. I really love that rivalry with him and the challenge that comes with facing him and India,” Rahim explained.

India took command of the first Test against Bangladesh as they extended their lead to 308 after fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah helped bundle out the visitors for 149 on Friday.

The hosts were 81-3 at stumps in their second innings on day two in Chennai. Shubman Gill, on 33, and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, on 12, were batting at close of play.

Taskin Ahmed took down skipper Rohit Sharma for five and fellow pace bowler Nahid Rana had left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal caught behind for 10.

Spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz trapped Virat Kohli lbw for 17. Ultra edge technology showed a spike on the bat’s inside edge, which even Kohli did not notice.

Bangladesh were dismissed in the final session with former skipper Shakib Al Hasan top-scoring on 32 in their reply to India’s first-innings total of 376.

The hosts did not enforce the follow-on, deciding instead to build on their lead of 227.

(With AFP inputs)

Bangladesh held their first practice session on Monday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium ahead of the first Test match against India. Bangladesh is currently in top form, having whitewashed Pakistan 2-0 to win their first Test series on Pakistani soil. The team secured a commanding 10-wicket victory in the first Test, followed by a six-wicket win in the second. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) took to their official X handle and shared a small clip of the Bengal Tigers hitting the ground.

In the video, the players were seen doing their net practice in Chennai.

Bangladesh team hits the ground running with their first practice session at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. #BCB #Cricket #INDvBAN #WTC25 pic.twitter.com/xH0OOpiCyr

— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) September 16, 2024

Earlier on Sunday, Najmul Hossain Shanto-led Bangladesh landed in Chennai for their first Test match against India at the iconic Chepauk Stadium, which will be starting on September 19.

Speaking at the pre-departure press conference in Dhaka, Najmul acknowledged that the series against India will be challenging. However, he added that the team is feeling “extra confidence” following their victory over Pakistan.

“It will be a challenging series, but we have the extra confidence from the Pakistan series. I think the whole country shares that confidence now. Every series is an opportunity. We want to win both Tests, but we need to stick to our process. If we do our job, we can get a good result,” Najmul Hossain was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

The second Test between India and Bangladesh will take place in Kanpur, from September 27.

Currently, India leads the WTC standings with a points percentage of 68.52. Their upcoming WTC series include Bangladesh (two Tests at home), New Zealand (three Tests at home), and Australia (five Tests away).

India squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Dayal.

Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Jaker Ali Anik.

File image of the Indian cricket team© AFP