Shanto will lead tiger squad in T20 WC

Bangladesh named injured pacer Taskin Ahmed as vice-captain in their 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to be held in West Indies and USA between 2 and 29 June this year.

Taskin, who sustained a side strain in the recently-concluded five-match series against Zimbabwe, is expected to be fit between the World Cup matches and thus the management named him in the squad as well as awarded the vice-captaincy.

"As far as our knowledge, he will be fit between the World Cup matches. As par the ICC rules, we can carry an injured player with the squad. But I don't think he will be available to play against the USA in the three matches," selection panel convenor Gazi Ashraf Hossain told reporters in Mirpur on Monday.

"We have a target to reach the next round...The first match is very important...Hopefully we will do well in the World Cup," he added.

Ashraf also said that they had all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin in the initial 15-member squad which was sent to the ICC but later, he was replaced by Tanzim Hasan Sakib after the former failed to perform as per expectations during the home series against Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, pacer Hasan Mahmud and middle-order batsman Afif Hossain were named in the squad as traveling reserves.

The national team is scheduled to travel to USA on Tuesday night to face the hosts in the three-match T20I series, scheduled to start on 21 June in Dallas.

Later, they will feature in the upcoming 20-team global tournament in USA and West Indies.

Bangladesh have been drawn in Group D along with South Africa, Sri Lanka, Netherlands and Nepal in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup.

Bangladesh will start their tournament campaign against Sri Lanka on 8 June in Dallas, USA while they will take on South Africa on 10 June in New York.
 
The Tigers will face Netherlands on 13 June in St Vincent before they take on Nepal at the same venue on 17 June.  

Teams seeded first and second in their groups in the first round will retain that seeding in the Super Eight, provided they qualify. Teams will get three matches each in the Super 8 stage.
 
The two top teams from each group in the Super Eight will progress to the semifinals.
 
The two semifinals will take place on 27 June respectively in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago while the final will be held on 29 June in Barbados.

Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Taskin Ahmed (vice-captain), Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Soumya Sakrar, Tawhid Hridoy, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Liton Das, Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Tanvir Islam.

Traveling reserves: Hasan Mahmud, Afif Hossain