Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz, whose recent form has been under scrutiny, is set to lead the team back into ODI cricket after a break of almost five months.
However, Bangladesh’s results in the format over the past year have not been encouraging, winning only three of their last 11 matches, raising concerns over direct qualification for the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup.
Speaking at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Tuesday, the all-rounder said he is not worried about his form ahead of the three-match ODI series against Pakistan, scheduled for March 11, 13 and 15.
In his last 11 ODIs for Bangladesh, Miraz has scored 191 runs with one half-century and taken 11 wickets. When asked whether he was concerned about his recent form, Miraz said, “I’m not too worried about it. It’s not like we have played a lot of matches. Since the World Cup, we’ve played around 23 ODIs, and even those came with long gaps in between.”
Interestingly, Miraz has enjoyed strong numbers as captain, scoring 391 runs at an average of 72.40 with four fifties, while also taking 13 wickets at an economy rate of 4.72. Despite that, he acknowledges the expectations placed on him.
“So I feel the expectations people have from me—that I will win a lot of matches—maybe those are not being met all the time, and that’s why the results look average. But of course, I will keep trying to win matches for the team,” Miraz said.
In his last 11 innings, Miraz has crossed the fifty-run mark only once, against Afghanistan. In the recently concluded BCL One-Day competition, he scored just four runs for South Zone.
Despite the scrutiny over his form, Miraz said his focus remains firmly on the team. “I never really worry about myself. My main focus is always the team and how I can help us win. Both my batting and bowling roles are important, and I try to contribute wherever the team needs me. At the end of the day, performing well and helping the team get good results is what matters most to me as a captain,” he said.
