DHAKA, March 10, 2026 (BSS)— Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz urged his teammates to take greater responsibility as they gear up for the three-match ODI series against Pakistan, which is crucial for their ambition of securing direct qualification for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.

“Since the ODI World Cup is ahead, we have already started our preparation. We are definitely planning in that way,” Miraz said here today.

“We have been very good in the ODI format before and achieved good results. We had a good pattern in this format, largely because many senior players played together for a long time and understood the pattern well,” he said.

“But now some of them are not playing. So those of us who are here have to take responsibility. In ODIs you have to adapt to every situation and know how to handle them,” he added.

Miraz also urged players to clearly understand their roles and perform accordingly to help the team win the series.

“It is very important for every player to understand their role and how to play in different positions. The batters have to take more responsibility and that’s how we are planning. Since we are starting again, we are thinking about how we can move forward,” he remarked.

Since taking over the ODI captaincy, Miraz has gone through a difficult phase both as a player and as a leader.

Bangladesh have played 13 ODIs under his leadership, winning only three while losing nine, with one match ending in no result. During this period, Miraz’s individual performances with both bat and ball have also been modest. He scored 391 runs in 13 innings at an average of 32.58 with a strike rate of 72.40, while his bowling yielded just 13 wickets in 13 innings.

However, Miraz believes Bangladesh have not played enough ODIs consistently since the last World Cup, which has contributed to their inconsistent performances.

“I am not worried at all. Since the last World Cup, how many series have we played? Maybe around 15 ODIs (23), and those matches were played with big gaps in between,” he said.

“So the expectations people have from me that I will win many matches, maybe those expectations are not being fully met right now. But of course, I will always try to win matches for the team,” he said.

Bangladesh have lost four of their last five ODI series, along with disappointing performances in the ICC Champions Trophy last year.

The Pakistan series is particularly important for Bangladesh as they look to secure valuable ranking points in their bid for direct qualification to the 2027 World Cup.

March 31, 2027 has been set as the cut-off date for direct qualification to the tournament, which will be hosted by South Africa and Zimbabwe. The top eight ranked Full Members by that date will qualify automatically.

“In World Cups, wickets are very good and we want to start that habit from now on. We have a lot of matches before the 2027 World Cup and if we can play the maximum number of matches on true wickets, it will be good experience for us,” Miraz said, reiterating his preference for true batting surfaces rather than the traditional slow and low Mirpur track at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

“At the same time, we also have to keep in mind that we need to qualify. So against the teams we play, we will try to take home advantage,” he said.
 
Miraz also warned his teammates against taking Pakistan lightly despite the visitors bringing a squad that includes six uncapped players.

“You can’t take any team lightly. In international cricket every team is strong. They have young players, but they are here because they have performed,” he said.

“Since we have the advantage of playing at home and know our conditions well, we are clear about our plans. I think everyone will take responsibility and, of course, we respect Pakistan,” he added.