|| CF DESK ||

Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto backed his most senior teammate in the squad Mahmudullah Riyad, when a journalist asked a question on Friday drawing a comparison between Mahmudullah and Shamim Patwari.  

"Who are you comparing whom with?" said Shanto ahead of the first T20I against India in Gwalior on Sunday.

Shanto added that he doesn’t want to compare between the veteran and the newbie. "The thing is that Riyad bhai has given his service to Bangladesh for many years and has done well. He has won many matches and maybe has not been able finish in few matches. But he has great contribution in many wins. Shamim is young and is doing well. But I don't want to go into a comparison here,"

Mahmudullah's role has come under scrutiny once again after all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan mentioned ahead of the second Test in Kanpur that he had already played his last T20 game.

However, Shanto believes Mahmudullah's selection is based on merit and his past performances.

"At this moment, if you say Riyad bhai has not played well in the practice match, then it doesn't matter," he added.

Criticism of Mahmudullah's approach in the recent World Cup game against Afghanistan has surfaced, particularly given his age and the team's focus on fresh talent for the 2026 World Cup. This has led to speculation about whether Mahmudullah is playing his final series.

"We haven't gone into any discussion [on last series]. But maybe going forward, let's see if it might happen. Don't want to get into that discussion as a series is starting," Shanto added.