Bashar eyes bigger player pool

With Bangladesh set for a hectic schedule in the coming months, newly appointed Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief selector Habibul Bashar said he aims to expand the player pool.

2026 is a crucial year for Bangladesh’s World Cup qualification campaign. The national team is also continuing its transition period, with a majority of senior players making way for others in the white-ball formats.

Thus, Bashar, who will take over responsibilities from current chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu next month, is not solely focused on securing victories but on achieving them by introducing new faces to strengthen a compact player pool.

“Our primary target is [ODI World Cup] qualification, but what’s more important is consistency in performance,” Bashar told reporters during a media briefing in Mirpur yesterday.

Following the Eid-ul-Fitr vacation, a few players returned to Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium for gym sessions yesterday. After the conclusion of the Pakistan ODIs earlier this month, Bangladesh players will regroup -- except those participating in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which is set to begin on March 26 -- for a white-ball camp on March 27. The camp will serve as preparation for the upcoming ODI and T20I series against New Zealand, a series significant in terms of the points required for direct qualification to the 2027 ODI World Cup.

“Since we have a lot of matches this year, we have to work with a large group. With several series lined up, our player pool must be expanded. For sustained performance, it’s important to work with around 10 additional players outside the core group of 14-15 players [in the national side],” Bashar added.

Speaking about the scope of the new four-member selection panel, Bashar said players outside the national team who are performing in domestic cricket will be closely monitored.

“Players in the national team are visible, and we follow up on them. But beyond this group, it’s important to closely track performers in domestic cricket,” Bashar said, adding that the domestic experience of Naeem Islam and Nadif Chowdhury -- new inclusions in the selection panel – will be valuable in this aspect.

While Bashar will take over the selection process next month, the squad for the New Zealand series will be announced by the current selection panel. However, Bashar’s panel is expected to face key challenges this year, including meeting qualification targets and building a strong player pool that will benefit the Tigers in the long run.