Why Was Mahidul Islam Ankon Picked If He Won’t Play?

CHATTOGRAM: The purpose of Mahidul Islam Ankon’s inclusion in the Bangladesh T20I squad against Ireland has come under intense scrutiny, as the young player appears destined to finish the series without featuring in a single match.

Ankon was reportedly brought into the squad with an eye on assessing his capabilities ahead of the T20 World Cup. However, after being overlooked in the first two matches, all signs point to the team management reverting to the preferred, similarly profiled Shamim Hossain Patwary for Tuesday’s crucial decider, which levels the series at 1-1.

The confusion surrounding Ankon is merely the latest chapter in a series of mixed messages from the Bangladesh camp. Just before the series began, Captain Litton Das openly voiced his frustration over Shamim’s earlier exclusion from the squad, only to be promptly countered by Chief Selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, who stressed Ankon’s inclusion was specifically to assess him across the series.

That intention now seems highly unlikely to materialise. Monday’s training session at the Bir Shrestha Shaheed Matiur Rahman Stadium further reinforced this notion. Ankon was seen on the periphery, while Shamim received extended attention and time in the nets from the coaching staff, suggesting his place in the playing eleven is secure.

The selectors, who made the initial call to include Ankon, have since avoided commenting, leaving members of the team management to field questions they seem either unable or unwilling to answer—a dynamic that risks undermining preparation for the critical final match.

Bangladesh’s pace bowling coach Shaun Tait offered little explanation when asked about the playing eleven on Monday, simply stating, “I’m not a selector. You have to ask the selectors that question.”