Veteran Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been appointed the ODI captain for both the Asia Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup. This decision came after a period of uncertainty following Tamim Iqbal’s decision retire from the ODI format after his public fight with the Bangladesh Cricket Board. The BCB had been grappling with the challenge of finding a suitable successor, with names like Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz being considered alongside Shakib.

Shakib Al Hasan, who made his debut for Bangladesh in 2006, has since represented his country in 227 ODIs. He is not only a seasoned player but also a successful leader, having captained Bangladesh in T20I since 2009. His appointment as the ODI captain marks his return to this role after leading the team in 49 ODIs between 2009 and 2011, and again in 2015 and 2017.

However, Shakib’s focus is not just on leadership but also on performance. In a recent press conference, he shared his perspective on the upcoming tournaments. One of the greatest all-rounders of all time, Shakib has said that Asia Cup and ODI World Cup are two separate tournaments and Asia Cup will not impact the performance of the team in the ODI World Cup.

“You cannot think of the World Cup with the Asia Cup because they are two different tournaments,” Shakib was quoted as saying by ICC.

“Yes, if we can do well and develop as a good team in Asia Cup, in that case, we have a good chance to do well in the World Cup and from that point of view Asia Cup is important,” he further added.

The Bangladesh captain said that the team did not want to get ahead of themselves and said that they will be following a set process going into the world tournament, to be played in India in the months of October and November.

“Now the whole plan is based on the Asia Cup and the preparation and team is prepared accordingly. When we finish the Asia Cup, the World Cup will come and we will think about it at that point of time. Now we are thinking only about Asia Cup and more precisely we are only thinking about Afghanistan, Sri Lanka game,” he stated.

As Bangladesh prepares for the Asia Cup and the World Cup under Shakib’s leadership, the team’s focus remains on developing their skills and strategies for each tournament individually. Despite the previous captaincy conundrum, the team now stands united under Shakib’s experienced guidance, ready to face the challenges of the upcoming tournaments.