Sports Desk

Habibul Bashar, head of the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) women’s wing, has urged an end to the ongoing debates over the national men’s cricket team captaincy, emphasizing the need to back the current leadership—whether under Mehidy Hasan Miraz or Najmul Hossain Shanto.

“Miraz is not a new captain,” Bashar stated on Monday, underscoring Mehidy’s experience from both domestic cricket and age-level competitions. “He has captained before and shown leadership skills. We saw him perform very well in the last match, too.”

Bashar’s comments come amid heightened speculation regarding potential shifts in team leadership. He encouraged fans and media to concentrate on supporting the team’s chosen captain, whoever that may be, rather than fueling controversy.

“This debate about Najmul and Mehidy shouldn’t be our focus. Whoever leads the team, we should trust them. Controversy now will only harm us,” Bashar asserted.

He also highlighted Mehidy’s capability as a leader, while acknowledging Najmul’s consistent performance: “Mehidy is a very good captain and would do well if given the responsibility. Najmul is also performing excellently. Discussions on who should or could be captain aren’t helpful and should stop.”

Addressing Bangladesh’s recent ODI performance, Bashar pointed out the need to avoid captaincy distractions and focus on gameplay, noting the impact of early wicket losses on scoring potential.

“In the first two matches, a 230-plus score seemed competitive. But in the last game, the pitch was better, and without early wicket losses, we could have posted 260 or 270. That 10-20 run difference probably had a big impact,” Bashar concluded.

Bashar’s remarks signal a call for unity and support as Bangladesh Cricket gears up for future challenges, focusing on performance rather than leadership debates.