DHAKA, Aug 15, 2022 (BSS) - Bangladesh team management pondered makeshift
opening pair in the upcoming Asia Cup, considering the fact that they
included just two recognized openers in the squad for the regional tournament
which will be held in T20 format.

The two recognized openers-Anamul Haque Bijoy and Parvez Emon-however, were
not as successful as the team management expected, which left their chance in
the first XI in limbo.

Basically, the injury and off form of some key players left a huge void in
the opening slot for this tournament.

"There are two recognized openers in the squad in Bijoy and Emon but there
are some who opened the innings in local cricket. It might be Mushfiqur Rahim
or Shakib Al Hasan. May be we can try with Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mahedi
Hasan also. So we have so many options to ponder for the Asia Cup," team
director Khaled Mahmud Sujon said here today when his attention was drawn to
the opening pair of the Bangladesh team.

Shakib Al Hasan had the opportunity to open the innings once in international
cricket-- last year against the West Indies in the T20 World Cup. He opened
the innings after 367 matches in his International career but scored just 9.
That was the only time he opened the innings.

Mushfiqur however never played as an opener in his career so far. But
Mirazand Mahedi Hasan has the experience to open the innings. Mahedi in fact
almost regularly opened the innings in the shortest format of the cricket in
the domestic circuit.

In the three-match series against Zimbabwe, the team has a number of openers,
but the Asia Cup squad has the opposite picture. Although there are many
options for the middle order, no additional opener has been kept in the team.
For this, the team management has to think of alternatives.

"It's not that we are not thinking about alternatives but no point of
thinking options if everything goes according to plan," Mahmud added.

In the last Asia Cup, which was held in the ODI format, when Bangladesh's
opening pair failed consecutively, captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza opened the
final game against India with Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz and the
decision proved to be a masterstroke as the pair shared a hundred plus runs
partnership. Bangladesh eventually lost the game but not before putting up a
huge fight against the mighty Indians.