Bangladesh announced their 17-man squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. The tournament is scheduled to commence on August 30, Wednesday, in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. While the opening clash will have the hosts Pakistan take on Nepal, Bangladesh will begin their campaign on August 31, Thursday, where they will square off against the co-hosts Sri Lanka.
The Bangla Tigers had a forgettable 2022 edition of the tournament, where they got a first-round exit. However, with Shakib Al Hasan taking helm of the team for the upcoming season, they are on a lookout for a much better display in 2023.
Speaking of their squad, here are three players to watch out for in the upcoming season of the mega-continental tournament.
1. Tanzid Hasan
Bangladesh’s uncapped player Tanzid Hasan got his maiden national call for the marquee event. The left-handed opener would be considered in the opening spot, one of which was vacated by Tamim Iqbal. Iqbal was ruled out of the Asia Cup due to a back injury.
The 22-year-old Hasan was a part of the Bangladesh team that won the 2020 U19 World Cup held in South Africa. Speaking of the few last games he played, Hasan delivered a brilliant performance in the recently concluded Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2023. Hasan scored 179 runs in four matches, and hit three half-centuries, one of which came against India A.
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2. Towhid Hridoy
Another name that would definitely be on the radar of many is Bangladesh’s another promising star, Towhid Hridoy. The 22-year-old made a fantastic start to his ODI career, scoring 338 runs in eight innings so far at a strike rate of 97.68. Hridoy was a part of the squad against Ireland and Afghanistan; however, the upcoming ACC event would be his first major test. Not only this, but Hridoy had a wonderful outing in the Lanka Premier League, where he scored a total of 55 runs in six innings.
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3. Mahedi Hasan
Mahedi Hasan has been called up to be on the nation’s side after two years. The all-rounder last played against New Zealand in March 2021 in Wellington, and after being absent for more than two years, it will be interesting to see if he is able to live up to the expectations and trust of the selectors. Hasan has played three ODI games so far, where he managed to take two wickets and score 24 runs.
