Najmul to lead BD in New Zealand ODIs, T20Is

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Thursday named batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto as the country´s one-day international and Twenty20 international captain for a tour of New Zealand next month.

Bangladesh will tour New Zealand to play three ODIs and three T20Is between December 17 and December 31. Najmul, who is currently leading the country´s Test side against New Zealand in a home series, has been promoted to the new roles in the absence of limited-over captain Shakib Al Hasan.

Shakib is unavailable for the series as he has recently moved into politics to contest the upcoming general election on January 7 as a candidate of the ruling Awami League. All-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz has been named as Najmul´s deputy for the white-ball tour of New Zealand.

Batsman Liton Das returns to the squad for the New Zealand ODIs, which also included uncapped left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan.

Bangladesh ODI squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Capt), Tanzid Hasan, Anamul Haque, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Afif Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Rishad Hossain, Rakibul Hasan.