Sports Desk:BCB(Bangladesh Cricket Board) President Nazmul Hassan said today that it was his decision to include Mehedi Hasan Miraz in the One-Day International squad, after he was initially excluded from the same. Hassan, who has been quite vocal in recent times about his involvement in Bangladesh's selection process, had also mentioned that it was he, who had dropped Mahmudullah for their 100th Test last week.
Although Mehedi was Bangladesh's highest wicket-taker in the two-match Test series with ten scalps against Sri Lanka, Mehedi was not considered for the following ODI series. However, on Sunday, the board president claimed that he had to call up Bangladesh's chief selector Minhajul Abedin and make the last-minute change.
"I called up [Minhajul Abedin] Nannu to send over [Mehedi Hasan] Miraz," Hassan said. "I found out he is in Khulna, and told him that he must get back to Sri Lanka. Basically, we wanted to keep him as an option because they have a number of quality left-hand batsmen. Miraz had been bowling well in the Tests and this is a very significant series for us."
Hassan although unveiled that the decision to include him in the starting eleven was taken on the morning of the match itself. Sunzamul, the other uncapped spinner in the squad, was being considered at the same time. "But when I sat with the team that morning [of the ODI], it still wasn't decided if Miraz or Sunzamul [Islam] would be playing," Hassan added. "It was finalized after coming to the field."
Miraj came back the faith by picking up two wickets for 43 runs in the opening ODI, after having opened the bowling attack during Bangladesh's defense of 324 runs.