Questions over captain Miraz ahead of key series

Bangladesh enter the three-match ODI series against Pakistan, starting today in Mirpur, with several objectives in mind.

While the Tigers will be eager to produce a noteworthy performance, especially after being excluded from the recent T20 World Cup, the outcome of the series will also influence Bangladesh’s bid to qualify directly for the 2027 ODI World Cup. A series win will see the 10th-ranked Bangladesh climb to ninth -- the bare minimum spot needed to be ensured for a direct World Cup qualification.

Despite such stakes, the focus on the eve of the first match centred largely on Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s captaincy and his own performances.

Questions surrounding Miraz’s leadership first surfaced in June 2025, when the all-rounder replaced Najmul Hossain Shanto as Bangladesh’s ODI skipper. The decision by the cricket operations department came under scrutiny, and Bangladesh’s results under Miraz did little to quiet those concerns.

Since taking charge, Bangladesh lost their first two series -- away to Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. Miraz later led the team to a series win over the West Indies, but questions over his captaincy remained ahead of such an important ODI assignment.

Miraz, who has won just three of his 13 matches as ODI captain, declined to view the Pakistan series as a ‘litmus test’ for his leadership.

“Whoever is given the captaincy role needs time to build the team well,” he said during the pre-match press conference yesterday.

Miraz mentioned that the team’s objectives remain the priority.

“My goal is to take the team to a good position. This series is important for Bangladesh, not just me, because qualifying for the World Cup is the primary goal, regardless of who is the captain,” he added.

However, the numbers present a concerning picture. In four of his 13 matches as captain, Miraz batted at number four and averaged over 50. Despite those returns, Bangladesh lost each of those games, prompting questions about his approach in a format where higher strike rates are increasingly important.

He has one fifty as captain while batting at number five, but when Miraz produced steady innings, the pressure often shifted to the rest to accelerate the scoring.

Overall, Miraz averages 32.58 as captain. His recent preference to bat at number seven also suggests he has yet to settle into a fixed role in the lineup, despite producing some respectable numbers.

Miraz himself admitted that batting higher up the order did not translate into team victories, saying his presence at number seven “would be most helpful for the team’s balance.”

There were also questions over his decision-making during last year’s series against Afghanistan, particularly regarding the handling of death overs.

Miraz, however, said he intends to rely on established methods to tackle the upcoming challenge.

Although Miraz -- whose captaincy tenure currently runs until June this year -- said there have been no discussions with management about an extension, the Pakistan series represents an important test for Bangladesh, who have lost four of their last five ODI series.

And, questions over the captaincy do not create the right atmosphere ahead of important challenges, especially with direct World Cup qualification on the line.