Mohamed Isam
Bangladesh fell Litton Das for the third ODI against Sri Lanka. He was released from the team on the advice of the team management to play in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League.
Bangladesh replaced him with a wicketkeeper Jaker Ali, who scored an impressive 68 in the first T20I against Sri Lanka. He has 84 List A appearances and has accumulated 1918 points with an average of 34.87.
This is the first time Litton has lost his place since 2021, when he was left out of a T20I series against Pakistan.
Litton was absent without scoring in the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka, and also failed to impress in the T20I series against them, registering scores of 0, 36 and 7 in the three matches.
Since the start of the 2023 ODI World Cup, Litton has scored just 313 runs in 14 ODIs at an average of 24.07. He has only crossed the 50-point mark twice during that span.
“With the series now in the balance, we believe the arrival of Jaker Ali will provide the team with more options and flexibility in the middle order,” Bangladesh selection panel chairman Gazi Ashraf Hossain said. quoted in a BCB press release. “Given Litton’s recent performance in white-ball cricket, we have opted for this change, mindful of the availability of two other competent openers within the squad.”
Anamul Haque and Tanzid Hasan are the other two openers in the Bangladesh team, and one of them is likely to feature alongside Soumya Sarkar, who impressed with a 66-ball 68 in the last match.
Bangladesh squad for 3rd ODI: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Anamul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman, Jaker Ali
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84