The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has reportedly shared the initial squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and is likely to reveal it to the public today.
According to sources, the preliminary squad lacks any major surprises. Reports suggest that Jaker Ali, who has been struggling with form recently, has been dropped from the squad. Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and young fast bowler Ripon Mondol, despite performing well in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), have not been included.
Shanto has been the standout performer in the BPL this season, scoring 203 runs in four matches at an impressive average of 67.66 and a strike rate of over 147. He is also the only player to score a century in the tournament, with an unbeaten 101 off 60 balls for Rajshahi Warriors against Sylhet Titans.
Although there were discussions about including Shanto in the squad, the decision was made not to do so as his usual batting position at No. 3 is occupied by T20 captain Litton Das, and the management is focusing on grooming Parvez Hossain Emon for the No. 4 position.
This leaves the opening slots for Tanzid Hasan Tamim and vice-captain Saif Hassan, with selectors considering their performances in T20Is last year more indicative of their abilities than their BPL performances.
The BCB has until January 20 to make changes to the squad, and if the openers fail to deliver in the BPL and Shanto continues his good form, there is a possibility of him being brought back into the squad at the last minute.
On the other hand, despite his impressive performances in the BPL, Rajshahi pacer Ripon may have missed out on selection for the World Cup as the team management seems to prefer experienced players.
The rumored squad appears to lack batting options, with all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin expected to fill the No. 7 position left vacant by Jaker’s exclusion and contribute with his bowling skills in Kolkata, where Bangladesh will play three of their group matches.
Despite the concerns about the team’s middle-order depth, the management is hesitant to introduce new players at this stage, citing the challenges of adjusting team combinations for a major tournament like the World Cup.