Najmul Hossain Shanto will lead Bangladesh in the third ODI against New Zealand on Tuesday as the team management decided to rest stand-in captain Litton Das, Tamim Iqbal and Mustafizur Rahman.
Taskin Ahmed, who was originally picked for the third ODI, is also unavailable with food poisoning*. Fast bowler Khaled Ahmed and batter Afif Hossain have also been added to the squad. Afif is understood to be cover for Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who suffered a hamstring strain in training on Monday.
Shanto returns from a hamstring injury he suffered during the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka earlier this month, where he was Bangladesh's highest run-getter. Apart from Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shoriful Islam and Mehidy, who were all given breaks after the Asia Cup, are back in the squad, with Soumya Sarkar and Nurul Hasan making way for them.
Meanwhile, Litton is understood to be still having the after-effects of the viral fever he had suffered last month. Tamim, who had returned for the New Zealand series after a back injury, had said after the second game that he still felt pain after his first match in more than two months.
New Zealand lead the three-match series 1-0. The first match was abandoned, and they won the second by 86 runs.
Bangladesh squad for third ODI: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Tanzid Hasan, Zakir Hasan, Anamul Haque, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Rishad Hossain, Khaled Ahmed, Afif Hossain
*1430 GMT, Sep 25, 2023 The story was updated after the BCB announced further changes.