The Bengal Tigers have emerged as a strong team in recent years. Owing to senior players like Shakib-al-Hassan, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiq-ur-Rahim, Bangladesh has started to win crucial matches in international cricket.
RELATED: Asia Cup 2023 Schedule PDF
In New Zealand or the Indians, Bangladesh won the home series against them, which used to be their dream. Even Pakistan’s side comprising its elite players during the 2016 home tour, didn’t mark anything.
Bangladesh used to play the qualifying tournaments for the world cups, but now they have qualified for the event immediately. In the last world cup, they only managed to win three matches. What will happen this year in the Asia Cup? Let’s try to find that out by observing the players this year.
Bangladesh Squad 2023
The following players will be representing Bangladesh this year. After looking at the players, we will discuss the key players who can bring life into the games.
| Shakib Al Hasan | All-rounder |
| Anamul Haque Bijoy | Wicketkeeper Batsman |
| Najmul Hossain | Batsman |
| Towhid Hridoy | Batsman |
| Mushfiqur Rahim | Wicketkeeper Batsman |
| Afif Hossain | Allrounder |
| Mehidy Hasan | Allrounder |
| Taskin Ahmed | Fast bowler |
| Hasan Mahmud | Fast Bowler |
| Mustafizur Rahman | Fast Bowler |
| Ebadot Hossain | Fast Bowler (So far, he is injured) |
| Shoriful Islam | Fast Bowler |
| Nasum Ahmed | Slow Left arm Orthodox |
| Mahedi Hasan | Allrounder |
| Shamim Hossain | Allrounder |
| Naim Sheikh | Batsman |
| Tanzid Hasan Tamim | Batsman |
Now, let’s get into some more details.
Key players
Not all the players are going to be the best. Hence, in this section, we will try to see which players will be the match winners for Bangladesh under Pakistani conditions. Players are already going to be well-versed according to the pitch. Hence, we will be able to see their full potential.
Shakib-al-Hassan
Shakib can be considered as the star all-rounder in the ODI format right now. He ranks number one in the rankings and has produced wonderful performances in all formats. Whether it is his batting or bowling, he has made a name for himself. He can bat down the order with some clean hitting, while his slow left-arm orthodox spin can contain the batsmen in the middle overs. He can also produce some wickets here and there as well.
If it is Shakib, you can be sure he can pull the team out of some serious situations with his experience.
Things used to be different when he was new to the game; you had all-rounders like Shane Watson, Shahid Afridi, Angelo Mathews, and others ruling the rankings. But right now, he is the king.
So he will be an impact player this year
Litton Das
Litton Das could have been the player for them in the batting lineup. Unfortunately, he got injured. More worries for Bangladesh Cricket Team.
Mustafizur Rahman
Regarding modern-day bowlers for Bangladesh, this young lad has produced some great bowling spells in Asian conditions. Do you remember the different home series against India, Pakistan, Australia, and the Kiwis? Mustafiz was crucial in their victories.
In the last ODI match he played against Ireland, he was the man of the match, taking four wickets.
He has claimed 186 wickets so far in merely 186 ODI matches. Mustafizur talks about Pakistani pacer Mohammad Amir as his inspiration. And you can see glimpses of Amir in his bowling.
Mustafizur is the player to watch out for in this Asia Cup. He is sure to be one of the top wicket-takers.
Mushfiqur Rahim
When it comes to experience, Mushfiqur doesn’t lack any. He has led Bangladesh through some tough times but also saw the side’s good times. You can say that he is a reliable name for the world’s wicket-keeper batsmen right now.
Do not go on his short stature; he has the agility to take some good catches. You will see him hopping around here and there like a frog when taking difficult catches.
Mushfiqur has scored over 7000 runs so far, and young bowlers will find it hard to get him out if he sets his mind to it.
Mehedi Hassan
You can also consider him one of the most experienced players. Along with Shakib, he is a reliable all-rounder. Like Shakib, he is a left-arm spinner who can get your breakthroughs. It is just like having a second Shakib ul Hassan to be honest.
He entered the ODI scene in 2017, and since then, he has played over 70 ODI matches. He may not be as reliable with the batting, but he is quite good with the ball. Mehedi has taken over 85 wickets so far. With the bat, he has produced some performances recently. Overall, he is a player to have in the lower order.
Conclusion
Bangladesh may not have been one of the strongest teams in the past, but they have emerged as an Asian powerhouse in the cricketing world. Even in the past Asia Cups, the Bengal Tigers have made a name for themselves. Who can forget when they gave a hard time to Pakistan’s elite squad in the 2014 Asia Cup? If not for the Heroics of Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi in the lower order, they would have won!
Will they be able to win the Asia Cup this time? Well, they have a strong chance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here, we will try to answer your FAQs. So don’t Google them; you can get a direct answer here.
Who are the squad members of Asia Cup 2023 Bangladesh?
We have already given you the whole squad in this article. Kindly refer to the first section of this blog post.
Which groups are in Asia Cup 2023?
There are two groups in this Asia Cup.
- Group A: India, Pakistan, Nepal
- Group B Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan