The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced a 16-member squad for the upcoming One-Day International tri-series in the United Arab Emirates, featuring Afghanistan and Zimbabwe. Headlining the squad is the inclusion of unheralded mystery spinner Alis Al Islam, who has secured his maiden ODI call-up following impressive performances in domestic cricket and secondary national setups.

Litton Das will captain the national team during the tour, supported by middle-order batsman Towhid Hridoy as vice-captain. The selection panel has assembled a balanced group designed to adapt to the distinct subcontinental-style pitches anticipated in the UAE.

Alis first gained national prominence during an eye-catching campaign in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), where his unconventional action and subtle variations posed continuous problems for top-order batters. His domestic form earned him a place in Bangladesh’s Twenty20 International squad against Sri Lanka in early 2024. However, an untimely injury sidelined the spinner before he could make his international debut.

Undeterred by the set-back, Alis worked his way back into contention through consistent spells for Bangladesh ‘A’, including recent outings in the unofficial ODI series against South Africa ‘A’. Though previously included in the Asian Games contingent, he was unable to break into the playing XI. His inclusion in this 16-man squad provides another opportunity to earn his first cap for the senior side, provided he can stake a claim in the final XI amidst stiff competition.

Bangladesh open their tri-series campaign on 17 October against Zimbabwe at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The team will then travel to Sharjah to face Afghanistan on 21 October, with the tournament final scheduled at the same venue on 23 October.

The selected squad features considerable depth across all departments. The spin unit offers tactical flexibility, combining Alis’s mystery spin with leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, left-arm orthodox Tanvir Islam, and experienced off-spinning all-rounders Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mosaddek Hossain Saikat.

The pace attack is anchored by veteran fast bowler Taskin Ahmed, alongside Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, and pace-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin. In the batting lineup, Litton and Hridoy are complemented by Tanjid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, and Najmul Hossain Shanto, alongside wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan Sohan.

A table breakdown of the selected 16-member Bangladesh ODI squad by player role is detailed below:

Navigating Afghanistan’s formidable spin attack and Zimbabwe’s competitive limited-overs setup will demand tactical discipline from Litton’s side. Establishing early momentum in Abu Dhabi will be crucial as Bangladesh look to refine their white-ball strategy and secure a place in the Sharjah final.