Tanzid’s heartbreak over Litton’s absence in the Champions Trophy

Litton Kumar Das and Tanzid Hasan Tamim are currently among the most talked-about names in Bangladeshi cricket. Just days ago in Sylhet, they left everyone in awe with their record-breaking 241-run opening stand for Dhaka Capitals in the BPL. Both openers struck magnificent centuries in that game. While they are teammates in both Dhaka Capitals and the national team, Litton's absence from the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy has left Tanzid deeply upset.

Litton has not been included in Bangladesh's squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, set to begin next month. A prolonged lean patch across all formats led to his omission. His performances in the BPL had been underwhelming too. Although he found some form with a 73-run knock in his fifth BPL match for Dhaka, by then, the selectors had already made their decision. A day after that innings, Litton received the news of his exclusion from the Champions Trophy squad.

Despite the disappointing news, Litton didn't let it affect his game. On the field, he delivered an unforgettable performance, smashing his first T20 century in a scintillating display of batting. His unbeaten 125 off 55 balls, decorated with 10 fours and 9 sixes, helped Dhaka Capitals secure a massive 149-run win — their first after six consecutive losses. He was named Player of the Match, but his somber demeanor at the press conference reflected his internal struggles. While he didn't explicitly state it, being dropped from the national team was evidently on his mind.

At the press conference, Litton admitted his exclusion was due to his poor form, and he had no complaints about the decision. However, his absence in the Champions Trophy has been hard for his Dhaka Capitals opening partner Tanzid to accept.

Recalling Litton's brilliant innings, Tanzid expressed how special it was to witness such a knock from the other end. Before a match against Fortune Barishal in Chattogram, Tanzid shared, "I feel very fortunate to have watched Litton's century from the non-striker's end. I'm a big fan of his. Watching him bat was so enjoyable… those shots were just mesmerizing."

Litton missing the Champions Trophy has deeply saddened Tanzid, but he understands the reality of professional cricket — players must perform to secure their spots. "If you don't perform, you'll be dropped. Everyone has to accept this. We all know what a class batsman Litton is. I'm a huge fan of his. It really hurts to see him out of the team. But the way he played in the last two matches shows his confidence is back. I hope he continues to do well," Tanzid added.

Litton's recent struggles with the bat are evident. In his last seven ODIs, the right-handed wicketkeeper-batsman failed to reach double digits, with scores of 6, 1*, 0, 0, 2, 4, and 0. He was dismissed for ducks three times in that stretch. His last ODI half-century came 15 months and 13 innings ago, with a score of 66 against India during the October 2023 ODI World Cup.

Litton's slump wasn't confined to ODIs. His T20 performances were also below par. During a tour of the West Indies, he managed just 17 runs in three matches, scoring 0, 3, and 14. Though he managed some runs in Test matches, they were not impactful enough to stand out. Against India, South Africa, and the West Indies, he failed to cross fifty in 10 innings, with his best score being 40.