Bangladesh Revamp Selection Panel [Source: @arnuX05/X.com]In a significant development, BCB officially appointed former captain Habibul Bashar as the chairman of a new selection panel. This panel will mainly focus on building a roadmap for the ICC ODI World Cup 2027.Bangladesh cricket was recently hit by a crisis, as they had to withdraw from the T20 World Cup 2026 after the ICC rejected their request to shift venues out of the host country, India.However, with the 2027 World Cup being less than 18 months away, the BCB is leaving nothing to chance.BCB trusts Habibul Bashar with selection decisionsAs confirmed by BCB, former Bangladesh cricketer Habibul Bashar will head the board’s new selection committee. This panel will be responsible for picking Bangladesh’s squads, making key selection decisions and planning a roadmap for the ICC ODI World Cup 2027.The BCB has expanded the panel from 3 members to 4 members. Habibul Bashar, who played 50 Tests and 111 ODIs for his country in the past, will be the chairman. He’s experienced and has already worked as a selector before.Another former player, Hasibul Hossain, has been retained in the panel. Naeem Islam, a domestic stalwart with 20,000+ runs across formats, is also on board, as he carries vast domestic circuit knowledge.Lastly, Nadif Chowdhury, a former T20I player, has been promoted as a selector after working in youth development in the past.Also Read - Bangladesh Cricket Takes Drastic Decision For PSL After Terrorist WarningWhat led to the change in the selection panel?Interestingly, the fresh change in the selection committee happened as the previous chairman, Gazi Ashraf Hossain, did not renew his contract after his term ended in February. So BCB decided to restructure the panel for a fresh start and add more members with different perspectives.The biggest task of this new committee is to start building a strong squad for the 2027 World Cup. Bangladesh have always struggled with inconsistent team combinations and frequent changes in squads.And to build a solid core for the 2027 event, Bangladesh must prepare a clear timeline and give the players time to form a synergy.Bangladesh players unlikely to feature in PSLMeanwhile, on the field, Bangladesh players are reportedly uncertain about playing in the PSL 2026 due to security concerns as they’re waiting for the final approval from BCB and the Bangladesh government.The main concern is the ongoing regional tensions linked to the West Asia conflict, which has led to travel restrictions and safety concerns for foreign players.Earlier, Bangladesh’s sports ministry made it clear that even if players want to go, they cannot travel without government clearance. It's important to note that 6 Bangladesh players, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossain Emon, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana, Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Rishad Hossain have NOCs from BCB. But their participation is not confirmed yet. As for PSL, the league is all set to be held behind closed doors at just two venues, Karachi and Lahore, due to the fuel crisis.Also Read - Quetta Gladiators Strongest XI For PSL 2026- Saud Shakeel To Captain
