UAE announce squad for two-match T20I series against Bangladesh, Muhammad Waseem back as captain

UAE's Muhammad Waseem has been reappointed as captain for the upcoming two-match T20I series against Bangladesh, set to be played in Sharjah on May 17 and 19. This will be Waseem’s return to leadership duties after stepping down from the T20I captaincy in October 2024 to focus on his ODI batting.

Waseem’s appointment comes ahead of the UAE's first T20I outing since December 2024, when they clinched the Gulf T20 Championship with a win over Kuwait in the final. The experienced opener had previously led the national side in 26 T20Is and is the highest run-scorer in the format globally since his debut in 2021. Despite a recent dip in form, going without a half-century during the 2025 ILT20 and scoring just one ODI fifty in the last two years, Waseem’s presence is still important for the team.

"I have decided to step down as captain to concentrate on my batting in the ODI format," Waseem had said at the time as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Meanwhile, the hosts are coming off a disappointing outing in the Cricket World Cup League 2 in the Netherlands, where they lost four of their five games, two each against the Netherlands and Scotland. Their sole win came against Scotland, courtesy of a century from stand-in skipper Rahul Chopra and a four-wicket haul by left-arm spinner Simranjeet Singh. The 15-member squad named for the Bangladesh series includes players such as Chopra and Singh. The matches will be important for the UAE as they prepare for upcoming games. 

Also Read: Bangladesh announce 16-member squad for T20I series against UAE, Pakistan

For Bangladesh, the series will be their final fixture before a five-match T20I series in Pakistan. The team has already departed in two batches, with the second contingent including captain Liton Das, vice-captain Mahedi Hasan, and seasoned batter Najmul Hossain Shanto. This will be Liton’s first assignment as full-time T20I captain. The two teams last met in September 2022, with Bangladesh winning both matches in Dubai. 

UAE's T20I squad for Bangladesh series