3 min readUpdated: Jul 29, 2026 10:33 PM IST
The Bangladesh Cricket Board on Wednesday announced wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das as the new ODI skipper. “Congratulations, Litton Kumer Das! The new captain of the Bangladesh ODI team,” Bangladesh Cricket posted on ‘X’. It was a significant move by Bangladesh to appoint the veteran wicketkeeper-batter as skipper with the 2027 World Cup coming up next year.
Litton who is already leading the team in T20Is, will now take charge of the ODI side as well and will succeed Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who had led the side since June 2025. Miraz was replaced following Bangladesh’s 1-2 ODI series defeat in Zimbabwe earlier this month. Under Miraz’s leadership, Bangladesh won 10 of their 20 ODIs and lost nine.
Litton has previously captained Bangladesh in the 50-over format on a stand-in basis, winning three of the seven matches he led.
Congratulations, Litton Kumer Das! 🇧🇩 The new captain of the Bangladesh ODI team. 🏏 pic.twitter.com/nWTUWYumiO
— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) July 29, 2026
Meanwhile, Bangladesh is hopeful of hosting the Indian cricket team in September and is banking on sports diplomacy to revive bilateral cricketing ties following the fallout over the Mustafizur Rahman controversy.
Relations between the two countries came under strain early this year after Mustafizur was withdrawn by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the IPL following BCCI instructions, prompting Bangladesh to boycott the T20 World Cup, citing security concerns.
The developments also led to the postponement of India’s white-ball tour of Bangladesh, originally scheduled for August 2025, to September this year.
Bangladesh’s State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque on Tuesday said sports diplomacy would play a key role in normalising relations.
“The current government is giving utmost importance to sports diplomacy,” Aminul was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. “And since cricket is a place of prestige for us, cricket has a very strong position in our world cricket. We have already spoken to the Indian Embassy, they have also spoken to us and they are all waiting for India to come to Bangladesh in September.
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“I think we will overcome the tension that was there (between the two countries) over a small incident in the past and hopefully our sports diplomacy, our communication, our movement, everything will continue with our neighbouring country.” The bilateral series comprises three ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had earlier announced that it would be held in August-September before it was rescheduled for September.
