Bashar named chief selector, Naeem and Nadif included in new panel

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Monday announced a revamped national selection panel, appointing former captain Habibul Bashar as chief selector.

The move follows the departure of Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, who declined to continue under a new contract. Bashar’s elevation had been widely anticipated, and the board formalised the decision after completing the necessary process.

Bashar, 53, brings extensive experience to the role, having previously served as a national selector for both the men’s and women’s teams. A gritty batter in his playing days, he was the first Bangladeshi to reach 3,000 runs in Test cricket.

Former pacer Hasibul Hossain Shanto has been retained in the panel, continuing from the previous committee formed under Lipu in September 2025.

BCB also inducted two new members -- seasoned domestic performers Naeem Islam and Nadif Chowdhury.

Naeem, 39, has scored over 20,000 runs across formats in a career spanning two decades and holds the national record for most centuries in first-class cricket for Bangladesh, with 34.

Nadif, 38, brings similar longevity, with 20 years of playing experience, and has featured for Bangladesh in T20Is. Since retiring, he has been working as an age-group selector with BCB.

According to the board, the tenure of the new selection panel will run until the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in Africa in October-November 2027, with their term set to conclude after the announcement of the World Cup squad.