Bangladesh team will leave the country for Zimbabwe on June 29 to play a bilateral series against the host starting from next month. BCB has already announced squads for the tour on Wednesday (23rd June). Although some of the decisions were predictable, others caught the eyes of many cricket fans and pundits. The biggest surprise of the squad was the inclusion of newbie Shamim Hossain in the twenty20 squad. Apart from that, all the expected names have been selected for the tour. Bangladesh's Test, ODI, and T20 squads for the BAN vs ZIM Series 2021 are discussed in this article.
Major Highlights From the Declared Squads
NurulHasan and pacer Shoriful Islam have been picked in all three formats
Wicket-keeper batsman NurulHasanSohan has been one of the top performers in the domestic circuit, but he has been ignored in the last two years. Finally, he has been selected for the forthcoming series against Zimbabwe in all three formats. Sohan has a chance to win a spot in the playing XI because of Rahim's injury and he will be keen to show his worth if given the opportunity.
Pacer Shoriful Islam has been selected in all three formats for the next series, and he is likely to play several matches during the tour. Shoriful has been consistent in the domestic circuit over the last two years, and the selectors believe he has the potential to be a long-serving member of Bangladesh cricket.
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Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah are back in the Test lineup
Shakib has returned to the Test setup for the Zimbabwe series after missing the last Test series against Sri Lanka. His inclusion in the Test squad is a major boost for Bangladesh, particularly Shakib's bowling will be important for the team tigers. Shakib may complete his 4,000 Test runs and 12,000 international runs in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe.
Only three days after announcing the squads, BCB has included veteran Mahmudullah Riyad to the Test squad who last played for Bangladesh in a Test match against Pakistan in February 2000. Mahmudullah will play his 50th Test match if given the opportunity.
Mustafizur Rahman dropped from the Test squad
As we all know, Mustafizur Rahman is an injury-prone player that is why the selectors were hesitant to take a chance on him. He has been picked for the ODI and T20 formats and will lead Bangladesh's limited-overs teams bowling attack during the tour.
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Soumya Sarkar has been selected only for the T20 squad
Soumya Sarkar has only been selected for the Twenty20 squad, and the next series will be a litmus test for him to reclaim his place in the Bangladesh national team. Apart from him, Aminul Islam Biplob and MahadiHasan have been picked for the shorter version format.
Najmul Hossain has been selected only for the Test squad
Talented top-order batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto will only play in the Test series. It remains to be seen if he will be given an opportunity in the starting XI because Shakib Al Hasan is expected to start at number three.
Shamim Hossain has earned a maiden international call-up
U19 World Cup-winning all-rounder Shamim Hossain has been called up to the Bangladesh national team for the first time, and he will most likely make his international debut during the Twenty20 series. He is a powerful hitter who has the potential to play for Bangladesh for many years.
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Probable Bangladesh starting XI for the one-off Test
This announced team is excellent; there are no flaws or players who do not deserve to be on this team. Mominul Haque must take charge as captain in order to revive the team.
Tamim Iqbal, Shadman Islam, MominulHaque (Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib al Hasan, Liton Das, MehidyHasanMiraz, NayeemHasan, Taijul Islam, Abu Jayed, Taskin Ahmed
Probable Bangladesh starting XI for the ODI series
This is the strongest Bangladesh ODI squad at the moment. The team is stronger in every position in comparison to Zimbabwe. Captain Tamim Iqbal has done well since becoming the permanent captain of Bangladesh's limited-over side.
Tamim Iqbal (Captain), Liton Das, Shakib al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, MahmudullahRiyad, Mosaddek Hossain, MehediHasanMiraz, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain.
Read BAN vs AUS: How Ashraful, Shakib shocked Australia
Probable Bangladesh starting XI for the T20I series
Shamim Hossain has been called up to the Bangladesh national team for the first time, which is fantastic news for this young man. He may make his international debut for the tigers in the upcoming BAN vs ZIM series 2021.
Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, MahmudullahRiyad, MahediHasan, Afif Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Aminul Islam Biplob, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed
Bottom Line
Bangladesh will play a one-off Test, 3 ODIs, and 3 T20Is during the BAN vs ZIM series 2021. For that, BCB has announced separate squads for each format. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has prioritized the inclusion of young players in the Twenty20 format while allowing experienced cricketers to participate in the Test format. The Cricket Board seems to have a clear strategy for the selection process, which is a positive sign to take the team forward.
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