Bangladesh to bat first after losing the toss, Mahidul Islam handed ODI debut
Bangladesh lost the toss and sent to bat first by the West Indies captain in the first ODI of the three match series at Mirpur.
Bangladesh have made several changes to their playing XI for the first ODI of the series, with batter Mahidul Islam Ankon set to make his international debut in the format. Soumya Sarkar, who has returned to the ODI squad, has also been included in the team, while Shamim Hossain has been dropped and opener Mohammad Naim Sheikh has been left out of the squad altogether.
The Tigers have recalled their two experienced pacers, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed, both of whom missed the previous outing. Nahid Rana, who proved expensive with the ball in the third ODI against Afghanistan, has been dropped, while Hasan Mahmud, who featured in that match, also failed to make the cut.
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Mahidul's debut marks a significant step in his career. The 26-year-old right-handed batter and occasional wicketkeeper received his ODI cap from teammate Saif Hasan before the start of the match. However, it is still uncertain whether he will don the wicketkeeping gloves, as the squad also includes two other keepers — Nurul Hasan Sohan and Zakir Ali. Sohan is expected to keep wickets if he is part of the playing XI.
Mahidul made his international debut for Bangladesh in 2024, featuring in a single Test where he could not make a notable impact with the bat. His inclusion in the ODI side is seen as an attempt to stabilise the team's middle order, which has been struggling in recent matches.
In domestic cricket, Mahidul brings considerable experience, having played 96 List A matches. He has scored nearly 3,500 runs at an average of 44.53, including four centuries and 28 half-centuries.
With this debut, Mahidul becomes Bangladesh's 154th cricketer to represent the country in One Day Internationals.
Bangladesh XI: Mehidy Hasan Miraz (captain), Soumya Sarkar, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tawhid Hridoy, Nurul Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Mahidul Islam Ankon.
