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The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has made a decisive move by appointing Shakib Al Hasan as the captain for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 and the ICC World Cup 2023. This decision comes in the wake of Tamim Iqbal's decision to withdraw from the Asia Cup and subsequently step down from the captaincy due to an unfortunate injury. The BCB has chosen Shakib to lead the team in these crucial tournaments, but his appointment as the permanent skipper is contingent upon his availability, and the selectors have initiated discussions with him on the matter.
In an announcement made by Nazmul Hasan, the president of the BCB, he shared, "We have appointed Shakib as the captain for Asia Cup and World Cup. The World Cup and Asia Cup squad will be announced tomorrow. The selectors will pick a squad of 17 members." This significant decision follows the intriguing sequence of events involving Tamim Iqbal, who initially announced a sudden retirement from ODIs but later reconsidered his decision due to the intervention of Bangladesh's Prime Minister. Despite his return, another injury setback forced Tamim to resign from the captaincy, leading to Shakib's appointment.
This isn't Shakib's first experience with captaincy, as he previously led the Bangladesh team from 2009 to 2011. Additionally, he has served as the deputy to Mashrafe Mortaza on multiple occasions, showcasing his leadership capabilities and experience. With this latest appointment, Shakib will now have the responsibility of leading Bangladesh in all three formats of the game.
As the cricketing drama unfolds in Bangladesh, the focus shifts back to Tamim Iqbal, who is now determined to make a successful return to the field. With the captaincy burden lifted off his shoulders, Tamim is eyeing a comeback during the ODI series against New Zealand, which is scheduled to commence on September 21. All eyes are set on the ODI World Cup, which is slated to begin on October 5, as both Shakib and Tamim play pivotal roles in Bangladesh's cricketing journey.