Regular skipper Litton Das has returned to lead Bangladesh as the Bangladesh Cricket Board on Thursday announced a 15-member squad for the opening two T20 Internationals against West Indies.

Soumya Sarkar and Saif Hassan put on a show in the opening partnership in Bangladesh’s third ODI against West Indies at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Thursday.

Three members of the coaching staff – assistant coach Joya Chakma, goalkeeping coach Imon, and team manager Mirona Khatun – were unable to travel with the squad due to visa complications.

Bangladesh star Soumya Sarkar's participation in the series against Afghanistan is in doubt as he faces UAE visa complications.

Soumya Sarkar was named in the Bangladesh T20I squad to face Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series in UAE next week, the left-handed batter’s first inclusion in the shortest format since December last year.

Amid this challenging phase, with a new ODI captain in Mehidy Hasan Miraz set to lead the side in the upcoming Sri Lanka series starting June 2, the pressure to rebuild and restore confidence is more immense than ever.

Bangladesh named a 16-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, slated to begin from July 2, and Mohammad Naim Sheikh’s return was the major development from the squad announcement, as Soumya Sarkar was excluded owing to injury.

Soumya had been experiencing right-sided lower back pain over the past week. 

Bangladesh are slated to play 16 T20Is against the UAE, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup. An additional six matches against the West Indies and Ireland will follow. With a packed T20 calendar and Shanto’s declining performances in the format, his inclusion in the squad becomes increasingly difficult to justify.

Who are the seniors in Bangladesh cricket?

Bangladesh opener Soumya Sarkar suffered a blow on the same hand which he had injured during the tour of West Indies while training in the national team's ongoing camp ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur today.

It was the first time the southpaw had undergone a batting session, and having been picked for the upcoming Champions Trophy, the Tigers’ think tank will be closely monitoring how his condition develops.

If you are a left-handed top-order Bangladesh batter, you would not like the sight of Afghanistan’s left-handed pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi steaming in at you with the new ball.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) yesterday named a host of players for 'A' team's tour of Pakistan to play Pakistan A in two four-day matches and three one-day matches. Two separate squads were announced for the two four-day matches and another squad for the one-day matches on August 23, 25 and 27 respectively.

“I always dream big. I dream of becoming champions. It’s my personal thinking, I like to dream big,” Soumya said in a video posted on social media by the BCB today.

More than a year into his contract, Hathurusingha got to see both sides of the coin. In 2023, Bangladesh whitewashed defending champions England, and Afghanistan won a series against Ireland at home and claimed their maiden T20I win over New Zealand in the BlackCaps’ backyard. But less than a year since enjoying their best ever run in the shortest format, the Tigers spiralled down to their lowest point, displaying a severe lack of continuity.

A show of ‘Power’ had been missing in ‘Powerplays’ for Bangladesh in the past editions of the T20 World Cups, as batters have more often than not failed to make use of the field restrictions in the first six overs -- a handicap that has hindered the team’s fortunes in the competition.

The scepticism and queries over the team’s preparation were not at all surprising, considering how poorly the Tigers have fared in the last two T20 World Cups -- only winning over low-ranked Netherlands and Zimbabwe in 2022 while suffering a humiliating loss to Scotland the year before in the previous edition.

Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar and Mustafizur Rahman were called up for the last two Twenty20 Internationals against Zimbabwe, which will be played in Mirpur on May 10 and 12.

Meanwhile, Sujon asserted that the new selection panel has created a balanced team with the preparatory squad.