From the highs of 2015-2019 to the lows of 2021-2023, Bangladesh cricket has experienced a rollercoaster journey since its first international game in 1986. However, many fans, pundits, and former players all feel that the team, which became a test playing nation in 2001, has not progressed in the decades since. After the disastrous 2024 calendar year for the national team, KhelboBD has decided to highlight potential stars for the coming year. Below is a list of players with immense potential across the three formats to shine for the country. Warning, the statistics provided are collected from both international and domestic games, accounting for all games in the specific format. 

T20 

Jishan Alam

Avg – 29.6 
Strike Rate – 150.25 
1 Century, 2 Fifties 
3 wickets at Avg of 14.33 

Jishan Alam has proven to be an aggressive opener while also having the weapon of a meticulous off spin, emulating greats like Chris Gayle and Sunil Narine. The right handed batsman is one of the two players to score a century in the recently concluded National Cricket League (NCL) T20, showcasing how he possesses the qualities to become a fine-tuned player at the top of the order. The statistics back up the hype surrounding the youngster, with a strike rate at 150 in the shortest format. Even if the average seems low, his explosiveness is a key area which the national team can benefit from. If molded accurately, Jishan can become an effective all rounder to elevate the nation from its batting woes. 

Ariful Islam

Avg – 35.5
Strike Rate – 142.00 
1 Fifty 

The name Ariful brings heaps of memories for the Bangladesh team. Ariful Haque, a splendid catalyst in the domestic circuit, had an unfortunate international career but is now having a splendid time in the BPL. Another Ariful Haque is now a renowned umpire in the domestic divisions. But this Ariful has shown immense promise in the NCL, aggressively attacking at a rate of 142. The average of 35.50 highlights the capability of scoring runs at an accelerated rate but the single fifty needs to be increased for him to have a successful year. Nonetheless, his economical bowling enables him to be a poised weapon at the middle overs, at a pivotal moment of the game. 

Zawad Abrar

Avg – 35.00 
Strike Rate – 141.89 
1 Fifty 
HS – 74 

The U-19 Asia Cup in Dubai has highlighted potential future stars for the team such as Azizul Hakim and Iqbal Hossain Emon, but the brightest of them all was Zawad Abrar. Indeed, the format was ODI, but his tenacity to open the innings with a consistent flurry of boundaries demonstrates his confidence and his will to accelerate the flow of runs. In T20s across multiple domestic tournaments, Zawad has kept an average of 35.00, highest among the list of openers mentioned in this article. His strike-rate may be under 150, but his shot selection and maturity seem far higher than his tender age of 19. 

Parvez Hossain Emon

Avg – 21.14 
Strike Rate – 121.97 
1 Century, 3 Fifties 

The only individual in this format to have represented Bangladesh internationally, Parvez Hossain Emon possesses all the attributes required to provide the national team with a strong start to the innings. Indeed, he faulted during the India series, but his approach and attitude towards T20 cricket was a factor that was lacking in the setup. His 36 against West Indies showcased his ability to attack and regardless of the slow strike rate and a low average, he recompenses for his ability to bring in big scores like a century and the three fifties he has so far. His international experience makes him a front-runner for the spot, and with Bangladesh requiring to have someone explosive, this individual is the correct person for the job. 

ODI 

Parvez Hossain Emon

Avg – 35.61 
Strike Rate – 88.4 
4 Centuries, 11 Fifties 

Indeed, Parvez Hossain Emon may have only been utilized for the shortest format, but his statistics highlight a different image which the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is missing out on. Throughout his career, Emon has kept up an average of 35.61, pretty high considering the other openers that have debuted in this format instead of him whilst having a much lower average. His healthy strike rate is commendable and his 4 Centuries and 11 Fifties back up the significant numbers being presented. His aggressive attitude could become a useful weapon for Bangladesh to consistently hit the 300 mark. Having a solid base from opening batters is fundamental to bringing up a solid score, and Emon has the data to support him in entering the one day frame. 

Tanzid Hasan

Avg – 26.90
Strike Rate – 89.13 
3 Centuries, 11 Fifties 

This may be a surprising name due to his terrible run in the World Cup but Tanzid Hasan deserves one final shot in sealing his place as the next Tamim. As his name is also Tamim, Tanzid is a flamboyant player of the ball, attacking at a strike rate under 90. His nature may suit T20’s but he has shown the maturity and class to be an ODI player as well. The world cup was rough for him but he showed a glimpse of his glamor, hitting a sweet fifty against hosts India to demonstrate his talent to the world. He deserves one last chance in the national team to showcase his natural talent and seal the top spot. 

Mehidy Hasan Miraz

Avg – 24.53 
Strike Rate – 77.80 
2 Centuries, 12 Fifties 
195 Wickets
Eco – 4.97 
5 4W, 1 5W 

This name might be surprising as he is already a superstar for Bangladesh, but the best years of Mehidy Hasan Miraz are still yet to arrive. KhelboBD believes that 2025 will be the year that Miraz asserts his role as a leader in the squad, guiding the young superstars whilst eagerly learning from the experienced campaigners. His numbers while batting may not seem overly optimistic with an average of 24.53 but his immense experience will be critical to steady the middle order as he has 2 centuries and 12 fifties to his name. Miraz’s versatility enables Bangladesh to have 6 batsmen other than him, bolstering the attack even further whilst having 5 bowlers to function. His bowling statistics demonstrate his capability of being a match winner, having an economy just under 5 and scalping 195 wickets in his career. Mehidy is ready to step up as captain and become a solid all rounder, just like Shakib Al Hasan all these years. 

Nahid Rana

30 Wickets 
Avg – 18.46 
Eco – 5.22 
1 4W, 2 5W 

With Nahid Rana having one series in ODI’s, he has illustrated the effectiveness of his breakneck pace. As he is regularly hitting excess of 140kph, even crossing the 150 barrier, he is widely considered to become Bangladesh’s all-out pace bowler since the times of Rubel Hossain and Shafiul Islam. Rana is already the fastest bowler in Bangladesh history and with his incredible stats in the domestic circuit, he is capable of handling ODI’s and transition to all 3 formats of the game. Nahid’s height of 6ft 4in and his high release points are extreme leverages for the nation as he is able to generate extra bounce with the pace, becoming almost impossible to attack. This will be a critical factor for Bangladesh to improve in the growing pace department.

Test 

Shahadat Hossain

1824 runs at avg of 37.18
3 Centuries, 12 Fifties 
HS 159  

Shahadat Hossain Dipu has been on and off the test team for the last year and a half, being utilized from number 4 to number 6. His role as a floater has led to his inconsistent batting record but his defensive approach and shot selection has been superb against West Indies, showing promising signs for the middle order. From his playstyle and the situation of the national team, Shahadat can easily slot into the number 5 position, providing both critical stability and attacking ability. His incredible statistics showcase how he has earnt his call up to the national side, scoring more than 1800 runs at an average of just above 37. His three centuries and 12 fifties perfectly highlight the fact that he has the consistency for a test innings and his high score of 159 reiterates the fact that he can transform starts into big knocks. 

Nahid Rana

83 Wickets 
Avg – 25.44 
Econ – 3.97 
6 4W, 4 5W 

We have already highlighted Nahid Rana as a limited overs bowler but it is the longest format where he earned his reputation of being the fastest Bangladeshi bowler. His 83 wickets in the domestic NCL tournament at an economy just under 4 accentuates on the fact that his line and length are fixated, enabling him to be economical for his teams. The data highlights how crucial Rana is, racking up 6 4W hauls and 4 5W hauls in his short but entertaining career so far. Nahid Rana has many years left in his tank and improving on accelerating his pace without injuring himself will expand his skillset whilst becoming the most valuable weapon for the Bangladesh National Team. 

Towhid Hridoy

913 runs at avg of 45.65 
3 Centuries, 4 Fifties 
HS 217 

Towhid Hridoy may have only been utilized in the shorter formats but his domestic stats points out the need for him to enter the test squad. Hridoy has an incredible average of 45.65, higher than the top 6 batsmen currently in the international setup. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and experienced campaigners Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim all have averages under 40 for Bangladesh, stressing the need of involving Towhid even further. His high score of 217 alongside three centuries and four fifties demonstrates his capability of scoring regardless of the format. If entered into the setup in the new World Test Championship cycle, Bangladesh can truly benefit from one of its glorious youngsters in the game.  

Hasan Mahmud

79 Wickets 
Avg – 29.25 
Econ – 3.35 
4 4W, 2 5W 

A gunning, swinging fast bowler, Hasan Mahmud has been compared to the great Vernon Philander. Even if he may not have the pace like Taskin and Nahid or have the special deliveries like Mustafizur, Hasan Mahmud has the ability to swing the ball in both directions whilst toying with the line and length. Hasan has been immense with the ball for Bangladesh in the opening spell of the innings, reducing India to 34-3 and capturing the big scalps of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the process. KhelboBD believes that 2025 will be the year where Hasan dominates the test circuit, his incredible amount of wickets at an astoundingly low economy is promising signs for this young maestro to craft his skillset even further.