In their absence, young pacers Abdul Gaffar Saqlain and Ripon Mondal have been handed opportunities as Bangladesh look to build depth in their bowling attack.
Speaking ahead of the series, Litton admitted replacing Mustafizur is extremely difficult but stressed the importance of preparing alternatives.
“Mustafiz is irreplaceable. At the same time, you have to remember that if he doesn’t play due to injury or any reason, someone else has to step in. That’s why we are building this team. The more matches players get, the more they will improve, even if not like Mustafiz, they can get close to his level,” Litton said.
Litton also highlighted Saqlain’s potential, describing him as an all-round option in the T20 format.
The 28-year-old impressed in the Bangladesh Premier League and has been brought into the setup with a view to long-term development.
“I see Saqlain as an all-rounder. I don’t know which format you’re referring to, but right now it’s T20 cricket. He performed very well for Rajshahi in the BPL and caught attention from there. We will try to develop him gradually within the team so that he reaches a level where we can rely on him and he can deliver for us.”
Bangladesh head into the T20I series high on confidence after securing the ODI series 2-1, but Litton remains cautious of New Zealand’s strength. He pointed out their recent T20 World Cup semifinal appearance and warned that even a relatively young Kiwi side can be dangerous.
“In this format, just a couple of players performing well can decide the match. We have to stay sharp and play our best cricket,” he said.
