Mosaddek Hossain, Nurul Hasan recalled for first two Australia ODIs

Mosaddek Hossain, an all-rounder, has been included in the 15-man squad for the first two games of the three-match series against Australia. This has earned him a spot in the ODI lineup. The Bangladesh Cricket Board released the roster on June 3; Mosaddek was included in the ODI team for the first time in nearly four years. Mossadek, who last played an ODI in 2022 August, earned his recall on the back of impressive performances for Abahani Limited in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League, Bangladesh's traditional list A tournament. In the current DPL, the 30-year-old all-rounder scored 310 runs in six innings with an average of 77.50 and a strike rate of 129.17. He also took 12 wickets in seven innings and scored one century and two half-centuries. Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan Sohan has also returned to the squad after missing Bangladesh's previous ODI series against New Zealand in April. Mahidul Islam Ankon and batter Afif Hossain were left off the team that played New Zealand by the selectors. Unfortunately, we believe we did not provide Ankon with enough opportunities. In addition, I cannot say that Afif has had enough chances. I think he deserved a little more opportunity. But at this moment, we are making some tactical changes, which is why these two changes have been made," chief selector Habibul Bashar said. "We feel that where we are considering Mosaddek to bat - where Afif used to bat at number six-Mosaddek is currently in very good batting form. At number six, his skill level can be more useful for us. He has played before, is an experienced player, and is currently performing exceptionally well in the Premier League. We can also make use of his versatility simultaneously. His ability to bowl is also very helpful to us. "Our balance gets better even more if he comes into the side," he said. "We usually play with five specialist batters, and we sometimes feel like we don't have enough bowlers at number six. With his ability to bowl as well as bat, I think Mosaddek can very well fill that role," he stated. In addition, Bashar elaborated on the inclusion of Nurul Hasan, citing the necessity of having a wicketkeeper-batsman who could bat at No. 6 or 7. "The primary reason is that Ankon, who typically bats at number four or five in the Premier League, is essentially a top-order batter. On the other hand, Sohan bats at number six and seven. "We are thinking about a wicketkeeper-batsman who will likely bat at six or seven, and we believe that Sohan is more skilled and will be more useful for us in that role," he stated. The first of the three matches in the series will be on June 9, with the second and third games scheduled for June 11 and 14. All matches will be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Bangladesh squad for 1st & 2nd ODI vs Australia:Mehidy Hasan Miraz (captain), Soumya Sarkar, Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Litton Das, Mosaddek Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam and Nahid Rana.