With the World Cup just two weeks away, Bangladesh cricket team is determined to address some longstanding concerns. Tomorrow, Tigers will kick off a three-match ODI series against New Zealand in Dhaka.

Regular ODI captain Shakib Al Hasan will be absent from this series. In his stead, Litton Das will lead the side in the matches to be held in Dhaka.

Bangladesh grappled with their opening pairs during the Asia Cup. Despite ample opportunities, Mohammad Naim struggled once more, leading to his omission from the New Zealand series.

With Tamim Iqbal making a return, Bangladesh may find stability at the opening slot. However, they continue to face challenges in the sixth and seventh batting positions. Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahedi Hasan, and Soumya Sarkar have all been tested in these roles. Apart from Mahmudullah, the others failed to demonstrate consistency.

Afif Hossain and Shamim Hossain were also tested at those positions, but they failed to draw attention well.

“We haven't finalized the players' roles,” noted Bangladesh’s stand-in Captain Litton Das. “We'll make decisions based on the conditions and the match situation.”

Read: Litton Wants Tamim and Mahmudullah to Rediscover Joy in Their Game

Tamim, Mahmudullah, and Soumya have made a comeback for this series. While Tamim was sidelined due to injuries, both Mahmudullah and Soumya struggled with subpar form.

Bangladesh's head coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, previously expressed a preference for relying on newer talent rather than experienced players. However, with the World Cup on the horizon, he acknowledged that the experienced players could prove invaluable to their cause.

In this context, all eyes will be on Tamim, Mahmudullah, and Soumya in this series.

Nonetheless, Litton, the captain, emphasized that their primary focus for the World Cup is to perform at their best. At present, their attention is squarely on the series against New Zealand.

Litton believes that New Zealand's formidable pace and spin attack could pose a substantial challenge, even on home soil. He also asserted their intent to secure victory in this series against the Blackcaps."As the captain, my foremost objective is to secure a victory," Litton stated. "Players won't all perform the same way. One might claim five wickets, while another may notch a century. That's the nature of cricket."

Read: New Zealand's stand-in captain embraces Bangladesh challenge

Lockie Ferguson, the stand-in Captain of New Zealand, also stated his side’s ambition to clinch victory in the series. However, he expressed concerns about the weather.

According to AccuWeather, there is a high chance of rain on match day.

"We're here to win. It all starts with game one, and we'll build from there," Ferguson asserted today. "Whenever the Blackcaps don that jersey, we're playing to win. However, we recognize there's a process to it. It's not just about the end result. It's crucial to focus on each step throughout the game and execute what we do best as a collective."

In the 38 ODIs between Bangladesh and New Zealand, the former has emerged victorious in 10. Out of these, 13 matches were held in Bangladesh, with the hosts securing victory in eight of them.

Read more: BAN vs NZ ODI Series 2023: Bangladesh Squad Analysis