DHAKA, April 11, 2026 (BSS)— Bangladesh's newly appointed chief selector, Habibul Bashar Sumon has emphasized the importance of consistency in squad selection, urging that players be given enough opportunities to secure their place in the national team.

Bashar's comments followed the announcement of the squad for the first two ODIs of the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand. 

The squad, which secured a 2-1 series win over Pakistan last month, remains unchanged, reflecting the panel's decision to maintain stability.

"We reviewed the last series and found it successful. Bangladesh played good cricket, and there were players who didn’t get the opportunity to play. Some players were new and deserved a chance in the squad," Bashar said here today. "We didn’t make any changes because we believe in consistency in selection."

The former captain stressed that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) panel is against unnecessary chopping and changing. 

"When a player is selected, he should be given enough opportunities. Those who have played, have not played badly. Our policy is to ensure consistency," he added.

Looking ahead to the World Cup, Bashar revealed that the panel does not intend to make major changes to the squad. 

"We do not want to make drastic changes before the World Cup. If we need to assess anyone, we will do so over the next six months or a year," he said, underlining the importance of maintaining a winning mentality while planning for the tournament.

Bashar concluded by reaffirming the panel's goal: “We want to build the best team to win matches, with the World Cup in mind, but without sacrificing the team's momentum.”

New Zealand are scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on Monday for three ODIs and equal number of T20 Internationals.

The first two ODIs will be played at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on April 17 and 20, and the third ODI in Chattogram on April 23.

 The first two T20Is will be played in Chattogram on April 27 and 29 and the final T20I will be in Dhaka on May 2.