3 Bowlers Who Will Be Crucial For Bangladesh in Champions Trophy 2025

Arnav Chopra

Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed (Source: @Officialmiraz/X.com, @T20WorldCup/X.com)Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed (Source: @Officialmiraz/X.com, @T20WorldCup/X.com)

The ever-so-promising Bangladesh side will be out to prove themselves again when they take the field in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025. Led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, the Bangla Tigers were one step closer the last time they played in a Champions Trophy in 2017, as they finished in the semi-final stage.

They have been constantly improving, with victories over major nations in recent times, especially on spin-friendly surfaces. Being lucky enough to qualify for the competition this time around, the Bangladesh side have announced a formidable 15-man squad to take on their opponents, as they already have India, New Zealand, and Pakistan in their group, which is going to be a massive challenge for them.

However, this time around, their veteran Shakib Al Hasan will be missing the multinational event due to failing the bowling action assessment as he would have only been considered as a batter, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) denied picking him in the squad.

Therefore, even without Shakib, the Tigers still have a strong lineup with plenty of options to explore when they pick their eleven. 

So, now let's have a look at three bowlers who could play a crucial role for Bangladesh in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.

3. Mustafizur Rahman

  • Ever-so-wily pacer Mustafizur Rahman has been outfoxing the opposition batters with his left-arm cutters, which are problematic for right-handers. His pace variations, especially the ball moving away from the right-handed batters, cause plenty of problems, as he has done it before and continues to do it from time to time.
  • In the ODI format, Mustafizur has 172 wickets in 107 matches, coming at an economy of 5.17, where his average is only 25.88. Moreover, he has five five-wicket hauls to his name in his ODI career. 
  • Furthermore, he has plenty of experience playing in big-ticket tournaments like the World Cups, where he has featured in 16 matches so far, picking 25 wickets at an economy of 6.39.
  • The 29-year-old has built the reputation of bowling exceptionally well in the death. His slower balls are hard to pick and can cause batters difficulties. Hence, he will be highly crucial for Bangladesh in this multilateral event.

2. Mehidy Hasan Miraz

  • Off-spinning all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz will have a very crucial role to play for the Bangladesh side in the upcoming Champions Trophy. The 27-year-old is highly consistent and ever-so-dependable, with a fabulous presence of mind on the field. 
  • Miraz is an excellent off-breaking customer who, in 103 ODI matches, has 110 wickets to his name. His bowling economy has been just 4.84. Moreover, he's no mug with the bat, as he has managed to score 1,599 runs in one-day cricket.
  • With surfaces in Pakistan aiding spin more than pace in recent times, it's worth discussing his statistics in the 2023 World Cup that was held in India, where Mehidy played in nine games and picked up 10 wickets at an economy of 5.58, highlighting his importance on spin-friendly tracks.
  • So, therefore, considering all the factors, it can be assumed that Mehidy Hasan Miraz will play a significant role for Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy.

1. Taskin Ahmed

  • Bangladesh's pace bowling superstar, Taskin Ahmed, will again come to the forefront when his side plays in the upcoming global tournament. Taskin, who bowls right-arm fast, has been maintaining a consistent pace over the past few years while battling a few injuries. 
  • Whenever he plays, he's often the spearhead of the Bangladesh pace bowling attack, where he would cause batters trouble with his extra pace and bounce, usually with his skiddy action.
  • In his 77-match ODI career, Taskin has bagged 109 wickets at an economy of 5.41, maintaining an average of 30.01, while he has bagged two five-wicket hauls. Apart from this, he has picked up 14 wickets in World Cups so far from 13 matches, and his economy has been just 5.94 overall.
  • And, if not all this is enough, in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League, Taskin has snapped 25 wickets in just 12 games, averaging an incredible 12.04, displaying his quality on low and slow surfaces. Therefore, he will be an incredibly essential factor for Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy 2025.