No Mahmudullah in Bangladesh's Asia Cup squad, Tanzid earns maiden call-up

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) revealed the 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup on Saturday. In a surprising move, the BCB selection panel has chosen not to include experienced all-rounder Mahmudullah, while Tanzid Hasan Tamim has secured his place in the squad for the first time.

Tanzid, a left-handed opener, stood out as the top Bangladeshi batter during the last ACC Emerging Asia Cup held in Sri Lanka. His remarkable performance, including three fifties in four matches, earned him a spot in the national team. He was one of the key players in Bangladesh's victory at the U-19 World Cup in 2020.

Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, and Mohammad Naim have also earned positions in the team. Nasum's last ODI appearance dates back to the Ireland series at home, while the right-handed all-rounder Mahedi last played an ODI in 2021 during the New Zealand tour.

"The team was formed based on input from all members of the team management," explained Minhajul Abedin, the chief selector, during the squad announcement. "We engaged in extensive discussions before finalizing this 17-member lineup."

Despite Mahmudullah being overlooked ahead of the recent Ireland series at home, Minhazul had mentioned that he was being rested. This statement raised hopes for Mahmudullah's selection in the Asia Cup squad. He was even part of the preliminary team that had been training at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the past few days. However, he did not make the final cut.

"We thoroughly deliberated before reaching a decision regarding Mahmudullah," Minhazul elaborated. "The team management presented a plan, taking into account the upcoming matches, and we made our decision based on that. We also discussed it with the captain."

Despite his underwhelming performance in the four ODIs he has played so far, where he managed only 10 runs, left-handed opener Mohammad Naim has still secured a spot in the team.

However, Tanzid's inclusion came as a big surprise. Minhajul expressed that the team has high expectations from the young opener.

"The selection panel has strong confidence in Tanzid," he stated. "He has been on our radar for a long time. Having been nurtured in the High-performance Unit, we believe he is poised to contribute significantly to the team."

This year's Asia Cup is set to take place at venues across Sri Lanka and Pakistan, featuring a total of six participating teams alongside Bangladesh.

Bangladesh 17-member squad for Asia Cup 2023:

Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Mahedi Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Shamim Hossain, Afif Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Mohammad Naim and Nasum Ahmed.