Photo: Collected

DHAKA, March 3, 2026 (BSS)- Bangladesh batter Saif Hasan has shifted his focus to the 2027 ODI World Cup, aiming to prepare himself thoroughly for the global showpiece by delivering consistent performances in the upcoming assignments.

Bangladesh have 23 ODIs scheduled until March 31, 2027. To qualify directly for the World Cup, they must finish among the top eight Full Members in the ICC ODI rankings by that date.

Aware that his contributions could be vital in securing direct qualification, Saif vowed to give his best.

"There's an ODI World Cup ahead which is very important for us, so the sooner we prepare ourselves for it, the better it will be," Saif said.

A promising batter, Saif initially struggled to cement his place at the international level before reviving his career with several impactful knocks in last year's Asia Cup T20. 

His performances in T20Is earned him an ODI debut, and he made an immediate impression in Bangladesh's most recent 50-over assignment.

In the home series against West Indies last October, he struck a 72-ball 80 in the series-deciding third ODI, guiding Bangladesh to a 2-1 series victory.

"If you look at the last year or year and a half, I didn't really get many opportunities to play ODIs. We did play a few, but those were in between T20Is," Saif remarked.

"So an ODI series is coming up. It's an opportunity for us. Our preparation during these in-between periods has become even more important," he added.