The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced a 14-member squad for the upcoming two-Test series against Ireland. This will be the first Test series under the leadership of Bangladesh’s new Test captain, Najmul Hossain. The team has not played any Test matches since June, when Hossain took over the captaincy after the Sri Lanka tour. He was selected as the captain for the upcoming cycle of the ICC World Test Championship.
Three players have been dropped from the squad that played in the recent Test series against Sri Lanka: Enamul Haque, Naim Hasan, and Mahidul Islam. However, opening batsman Mahmudul Hasan has made his return to the team. Mahmudul last played a Test in April against Zimbabwe.
Enamul Haque was dropped after failing to reach double figures in three of his four innings during the Sri Lanka series. Naim Hasan, despite taking five wickets in Galle during the Sri Lanka series, has been excluded from the squad for the Ireland series. Mahidul Islam, who did not play any matches during the Sri Lanka tour, has also been left out.
The first Test of the series will begin on 11 November at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, while the second Test will commence on 19 November at Mirpur. This second Test could be a significant milestone for Mushfiqur Rahim, as it will be his 100th Test match—making him the first Bangladeshi cricketer to reach this achievement.
Test Squad for Ireland Series:
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Najmul Hossain | Captain |
| Sadman Islam | Batsman |
| Mahmudul Hasan | Batsman |
| Mominul Haque | Batsman |
| Mushfiqur Rahim | Batsman |
| Liton Das | Batsman |
| Zakir Ali | Batsman |
| Mehedi Hasan Miraz | All-rounder |
| Taijul Islam | Bowler |
| Khaled Ahmed | Bowler |
| Hasan Mahmud | Bowler |
| Nahid Rana | Bowler |
| Ebadot Hossain | Bowler |
| Hasan Murad | Bowler |
This series holds special significance for both Bangladesh and Mushfiqur Rahim, as he will become the country’s first cricketer to play 100 Test matches, marking a historic milestone in Bangladesh’s cricketing history.
