Bangladesh team management is considering veterans Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim as openers for the upcoming Asia Cup, said the national team’s director Khaled Mahmud, reports news agency BSS.
The selectors have picked just two recognised openers-Anamul Haque and Parvez Emon- in the 17-man squad for the Asia Cup.
Regular opener Liton Das is out injured and domestic performer Munim Shahriar has been dropped after he failed to make his mark against West Indies and Zimbabwe.
So, the management is now experimenting with new options to full the gap in the opening slot.
“There are two recognised openers in the squad in Bijoy (Anamul Haque) and Emon (Parvez Hossain). But there are some who opened the innings in local cricket. It might be Mushfiqur Rahim or Shakib Al Hasan.
“May be we can try with Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mahedi Hasan also. So we have so many options to ponder for the Asia Cup,” team director Khaled Mahmud said on Monday.
The newly appointed skipper Shakib Al Hasan had the opportunity to open the innings once in international cricket-- last year against the West Indies in the ICC T20 World Cup.
He opened the innings after 367 matches in his International career but scored just nine.
Mushfiq also has opened the innings just once in his career, also made no notable mark in his lone appearance.
But Miraz and Mahedi Hasan have the experience of opening the innings.
In the recently concluded three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, the team had a number of openers. But in the Asia Cup squad only two proper openers have been selected.
But Mahmud defended the selectors’ decision to not include more opening option for an important tournament like the Asia Cup.
“It’s not that we are not thinking about alternatives but no point of thinking about options if everything goes according to plan,” Mahmud said.
In the last Asia Cup, which was held in the ODI format, when Bangladesh’s opening pair failed consecutively, captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza opened the final game against India with Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
The decision proved to be a masterstroke as the pair shared a hundred plus partnership. Bangladesh eventually lost the game but not before putting up a good fight against the mighty Indians.