Now that Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad, two of Bangladesh's most experienced players, have quit ODI cricket, a new era has started for the country's cricket.  There is a big hole in the middle order where they used to play consistently and reliably for years until they left.  Now it is up to the next group of players to step up and make sure they stay on the national team.

It won't be easy to find good replacements for Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah, but Bangladesh have a lot of talented young people ready to step up.  Shamim Hossain seems to be the most likely to win.

In the last few years, Shamim has been one of the best players in Bangladeshi cricket. He did especially well in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and the most recent T20I series against the West Indies.  Because he can hit hard balls, he is a good choice for the lower middle order, which is where Mahmudullah did well.  Shamim showed how good he is at batting in the West Indies T20I series by hitting 64 runs in three games, which was the third-most in the series and gave him a strike rate of over 188.  So, Shamim could be a great addition to Bangladesh's ODI team.

Nunul Hasan Sohan is another player who could gain from Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah leaving.  Sohan has had a hard time making a name for himself in the Bangladesh national team, even though he has played for Bangladesh in all three forms before.  But his strong ODI numbers—165 runs at an average of 82.50 and a strike rate of 95—indicate that he should be given another chance.

Even though Sohan doesn't get many chances in ODIs, his finishing skills were on full display in the most recent BPL season, when he scored 30 runs in the last over to earn a win for Rangpur Riders against Fortune Barishal.  Sohan is a great addition to the national team because he can bat well and keep wickets very quickly.  He could be very helpful to Bangladesh's middle order if they gave him a chance.

Mahidul Islam Ankon is another name that is being considered. He has played Test cricket for Bangladesh before.  Ankon was one of the most reliable players in the 2024 BPL. He scored 316 runs in 12 games, with an amazing strike rate of 175 and an average of 35.  He is a good candidate for a call-up to the national team because he can speed up the scores in the last few overs and keep wickets.

Another young player on the radar is Akbar Ali, and another is Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby. However, their local cricket results have not yet been strong enough to get them into the ODI team.  But if they play better all the time, they might soon be able to make the national team.

Additionally, Jaker Ali Anik, who has already become a regular in all forms, will now have an even bigger job to do.  In Bangladesh's limited-overs situation, his ability to hit hard balls in the last few overs will be very important.

Now that Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah are gone, Bangladesh is moving into a new age. The next generation needs to step up and make their mark.  The next game will be a test of their skills and a chance for them to become Bangladesh's next big cricket stars.