The Bangladesh Cricket Board has officially announced a 15-man squad for the first two fixtures of the upcoming three-match ODI series against visiting Australia. The selection committee introduced a major surprise by recalling veteran all-rounder Mosaddek Hossain Saikat to the limited-overs lineup. Led by captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the newly assembled roster presents a calculated mix of experienced core players and emerging structural talents.The right-handed middle-order batsman returns to the one-day format after nearly a four-year absence.
Mosaddek Hossain Saikat last represented the national team in an ODI fixture back in August 2022 against Zimbabwe. However, the seasoned athlete secured his international recall following a stellar performance as the captain of Abahani Limited in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League season. Across six domestic innings, he accumulated 310 runs at an elite average of 77 and a blistering strike rate of 129.17, which included a record-breaking 49-ball century. Furthermore, his off-spin capabilities yielded 12 critical wickets across seven innings, cementing his position as a dynamic utility player.
The revised roster sees the exclusion of batsmen Afif Hossain Dhrubo and Mahidul Islam Ankon, who both featured in the previous ODI series against New Zealand in April. Conversely, veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Kazi Nurul Hasan Sohan has reclaimed his position in the international squad after missing out on recent selections. The bilateral series is scheduled to kick off on June 9 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. The subsequent second and third ODI matches are slated to take place at the same venue on June 11 and June 14, respectively.
