The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced a 15-member squad for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, naming wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das as captain, with Saif Hassan appointed as vice-captain.
The squad was confirmed in a press release issued on Sunday, 4 January 2026, and includes several notable omissions, marking a significant shift from Bangladesh’s previous T20 World Cup lineup.
Despite being in good form in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Najmul Hossain Shanto has been left out of the squad. Wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali has also missed selection. In total, six players from Bangladesh’s 2024 T20 World Cup campaign have been omitted.
Senior cricketers Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyad are absent from the squad, alongside Soumya Sarkar and Tanvir Islam, signalling a continued transition phase in Bangladesh’s T20 setup.
Nine players from the previous World Cup squad have retained their places, including left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who has recently drawn attention following his exclusion from the Indian Premier League amid diplomatic discussions.
The selected squad reflects a balanced combination, featuring seven batters, three specialist spinners and five pace bowlers. Several players have earned recalls or fresh opportunities, including Parvez Hossain Emon, Mohammad Saifuddin, Saif Hassan, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan and Nasum Ahmed.
The 10th edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is scheduled to begin on 7 February. Bangladesh will open their campaign against the West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Placed in Group C, Bangladesh will also face defending champions England, along with Italy and Nepal, in the group stage. The current schedule lists three of Bangladesh’s group matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai, although the BCB has recently discussed the possibility of relocating matches to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns.
Bangladesh squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup
Litton Das (captain), Saif Hassan (vice-captain), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shoriful Islam.
