First batch of Bangladesh squad arrives in Lahore for T20I series

LAHORE: The first group of the Bangladesh cricket team has landed in Lahore ahead of the upcoming three-match T20 International series against Pakistan.

The initial 10-member contingent features players Hasan Mahmud, Mohammad Tanvir Islam, and Parvez Hossain Emon, along with Tanzim Hasan Sakib and several members of the support staff.

Bangladesh players are arriving in three separate groups for the tour. Both teams are scheduled to train at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on May 26 and 27. A pre-match press conference featuring the captains of both sides will also take place on May 27.

All three T20Is will be held at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, starting on May 28 and concluding on June 1.

The first T20I will be played on Wednesday, May 28, the second on Friday, May 30, and the final on Sunday, June 1. All matches will begin at 8:00pm local time.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a revised schedule for the series. The series had faced uncertainty due to rising tensions between India and Pakistan, as well as the mid-season postponement of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Originally, Bangladesh was scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on May 21 in two groups, with a five-match T20I series planned to begin on May 25 in Faisalabad. However, logistical adjustments and security considerations have now led to a revised three-match series, all to be hosted in Lahore.

The PCB also announced a 16-member squad for the T20I series, with Salman Ali Agha named captain and Shadab Khan as vice-captain. The selection is based on performances in the ongoing PSL X. This series marks the beginning of Mike Hesson’s tenure as head coach.

The squad includes Hasan Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Faheem Ashraf, Hussain Talat, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, and Naseem Shah. Notable exclusions are former captain Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Abbas Afridi, Abdul Samad, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Ali, Umair bin Yousuf, Sufyan Muqeem, and Usman Khan were also left out.

Bangladesh will be led by Litton Das, who was appointed T20I captain earlier this year after Najmul Hossain Shanto stepped down. Off-spinner Mahedi Hasan is the vice-captain for both the UAE and Pakistan tours.