Bangladesh name Najmul captain for third New Zealand ODI

DHAKA (AFP): Bangladesh on Sunday named batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto captain for the third one-day international against New Zealand and brought several senior players back.

Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, and Shoriful Islam join Najmul for the must-win contest at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Tuesday.

New Zealand are leading the three-match series 1-0 thanks to their 86-run win in the second match on Saturday, the side’s first win against Bangladesh in the country in nearly 15 years.

The first match was washed out by rain.

The Kiwis last beat Bangladesh in their own backyard in October 2008.

They then lost the next two series in 2010 and 2013, respectively, by 4-0 and 3-0.

Over that period, New Zealand’s only ODI victory in Bangladesh came against South Africa in the 2011 World Cup quarter-final.

Bangladesh rested Liton Das, Tamim Iqbal, Khaled Ahmed, Soumya Sarkar, Mustafizur Rahman, and Tanzim Hasan, who all played in the second match against New Zealand.

Regular captain Shakib Al Hasan did not play any part of the series.

In the absence of Shakib and Liton, Najmul is now set to become the 16th ODI captain for Bangladesh.

The series is the last for both teams ahead of the upcoming World Cup in India, which opens on October 5.

Squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Zakir Hasan, Anamul Haque, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Rishad Hossain.