NEW DELHI: Amid controversy over Mustafizur Rahman being axed by the Kolkata Knight Riders at the behest of the BCCI ahead of IPL 2026, Bangladesh announced their 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka in February-March.
In the wake of Mustafizur's exit from the IPL, the Bangladesh Cricket Board has been directed by the country's sports ministry to formally request a change in venue for Bangladesh's T20 World Cup group-stage matches, citing player safety concerns.
Litton Das to lead
Led by Litton Das, Bangladesh will aim to rewrite their T20 World Cup history in 2026. The team will lean on their familiarity with subcontinental conditions and a balanced bowling attack spearheaded by the experienced duo of Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed.
Spinners Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, and Rishad Hossain are expected to thrive on tracks that offer turn, making Bangladesh a genuine threat in the tournament.
While much of the batting responsibility will rest on Litton Das, youngsters like Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon are set to inject flair and aggression at the top of the order.
The group stage promises to be challenging, with Bangladesh drawn alongside England, West Indies, Nepal, and Italy. Only the top two teams will progress to the Super 8s, leaving little margin for error.
Although Bangladesh have featured in every T20 World Cup to date, they have yet to reach the semi-finals, a milestone they will be eager to achieve in 2026.
Squad: Litton Kumer Das (C), Tanzid Hasan, Mohammad Parvez Hossain Emon, Mohammed Saif Hassan, Md Tawhid Hridoy, Md Shamim Hossain, Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Md Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Md Mustafizur Rahman, Md Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Md Shaif Uddin, Md Shoriful Islam
