Bangladesh Announces T20 World Cup Squad, Rahman and Ahmed to Lead Bowling Attack
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Bangladesh’s cricket board (BCB) unveiled its 15-man squad on Sunday for the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup, with fast bowlers Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed poised to spearhead the team’s bowling attack. The selection committee also made the difficult decision to omit batter Jaker Ali following a disappointing run of form.
Return of a Key Bowler
Taskin Ahmed, a seasoned T20I player with 106 wickets in 86 matches, returns to the squad after participating in the Abu Dhabi T10 league in December. His absence was felt during Bangladesh’s recent 2-1 series victory over Ireland, but his return bolsters the team’s pace options significantly.
Pace and Spin Combination
Mustafizur and Taskin will lead a diverse pace attack that also includes Tanzim Hasan, Shoriful Islam, and Mohammad Saifuddin. Complementing the pace bowlers will be a spin trio consisting of Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, and Mahedi Hasan. This blend of pace and spin aims to provide captain Litton Das with tactical flexibility throughout the tournament.
Batting Lineup and Key Omissions
Litton Das will also shoulder the responsibility of leading the batting lineup, alongside Tanzid Hasan and Saif Hassan. The omission of Jaker Ali is a notable change, stemming from a less-than-stellar 2025 where he accumulated just 378 runs in 26 T20Is.
Geopolitical Concerns and Tournament Schedule
The announcement comes amid reports that the BCB is exploring options to relocate Bangladesh’s World Cup matches away from India. This consideration follows the release of Mustafizur Rahman by his Indian Premier League team, a move attributed to escalating tensions between the two countries.
Bangladesh is placed in Group C and will face a challenging schedule, beginning with a match against the West Indies on February 7. They will then compete against England and Italy in Kolkata, concluding the group stage against Nepal in Mumbai.
Full Squad List
The complete Bangladesh squad for the T20 World Cup is as follows:
- Litton Das (captain)
- Tanzid Hasan
- Parvez Hossain Emon
- Saif Hassan
- Tawhid Hridoy
- Shamim Hossain
- Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan
- Shak Mahedi Hasan
- Rishad Hossain
- Nasum Ahmed
- Mustafizur Rahman
- Tanzim Hasan Sakib
- Taskin Ahmed
- Shaif Uddin
- Shoriful Islam
