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18 Feb 2025

Rahul Akash

INTRODUCTION:

The Champions Trophy, which is the 3^rd variant of the 4 ICC events is back after 8 years.
The 2021 edition was shelved due to Covid-19 reasons, and this is expected to be the penultimate edition.
Many wanted to discontinue the idea of this event due to the diminishing interest of the 50 over format these days.
But the tournament being held in the sub-continent in 2025 (Pakistan) & 2029 (India) expected to attract fans.

BANGLADESH:

Bangladesh will be playing their 2^nd Champions Trophy.
They made their debut in 2017 and impressed everyone by reaching the semi-finals and eventually losing to India.
But this time, another team will make their debut i.e. Afghanistan.
Afghanistan qualifying & Sri Lanka missing out shows the rise and decline of the respective teams in the format.
Bangladesh announced their squad as early as 5 weeks before the tournament.

BANGLADESH SQUAD:

FIXTURES:

BATTING LINE-UP:

If you look at the list of the batters, only Mahmudullah & Mushfiqur has played multiple 50 over ICC events.
Bangladesh have decided to go with young inexperienced batters while the skipper Najmul Shanto act as a bridge.
The glaring point would be the fact that they have left out the terribly out of form Litton Das & veteran Shakib Al Hasan.
Das scored just 6 runs from 4 innings in 2024.
Even in 2023 which was his prolific year in the format where he scored 651 runs, his average was an underwhelming 26.04.
In search of another opener, they have gone back to Soumya Sarkar who will be making his 786^th comeback.
Leaving out Shakib Al Hasan might be a shocker of a decision.
But considering that he has been banned by the ICC for suspect action and his last ODI was in the 2023 ODI WC in India.
This Champions Trophy will be the first ICC event played by Bangladesh without Shakib since the 2007 WC.
Bangladesh will be dependent on their inexperienced batting order to put fighting totals on the board.

BOWLING DEPARTMENT:

Unlike their batters, Bangladesh has a perfect blend of youngsters & experienced bowlers.
The experience of Taskin, Mustafizur & Mehidy Hasan will complement youngsters like Rishaad, Nahir Rana & Tanzim Hasan.
Shoriful Islam would be the other bowler who might they have considered, but he is a like to like replacement for Mustafizur.
Mustafizur has not been at his best in recent times, but still they have opted to go with him.
Rishaad Hossain will have to fill the hole created by Shakib Al Hasan.
Though he has been expensive, he has the tendency to pick up wickets through the middle overs.

EXPECTED PLAYING XI:

CONCLUSION:

Being slotted in a group where the favorites like India, New Zealand & Pakistan are placed, it is very hard to see this Bangladesh winning even a single game.
At the same time most of the players who whitewashed Pakistan in Pakistan are here too, so that’ll give them some confidence.
On the whole, power hitting is the one glaring loophole for this team.

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