Bangladesh announce the World T20 squad

Bangladesh Cricket Board has announced a 15-man strong squad on Wednesday for the World T20. The selectors recalled another wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Mithun and all-rounder Nasir Hossain back to the fold. Neither player was part of the four-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. Mithun last played a T20 international for Bangladesh in August 2014. Imrul Kayes and Litton Kumar Das, who were in the provisional squad, have been overlooked for the showcase event which will be held in India in March.

Bangladesh has drafted young pacer Abu Haider Rony and wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan in the squad for the marquee tournament. Mashrafe Mortaza will lead the side in the tournament. Batsman Mushfiqur Rahim and left-arm paceman Mustafizur Rahman also return to the squad after missing the last two matches against Zimbabwe due to injury. Bangladesh will play in the qualification Group A alongside Ireland, the Netherlands and Oman. The top team from the group will then enter the main draw to take on the eight leading cricket nations in matches starting on March 15.

Chief selector Faruque Ahmed said they have been picked as “back-up” to the regular players. “More or less we have an idea about our best 11 players. We thought they have the potential to be the next best,” Faruque told a press conference. The World T20 will be preceded by the Asia Cup 2016, which will be hosted by Bangladesh. Afghanistan, UAE, Hong Kong and Oman will play in the qualifying round for a lone spot in the main round that will feature Test-playing nations Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

World T20 squad:

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (Capt), Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Al-Amin Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Arafat Sunny, Abu Haider Rony, Nurul Hasan.