As the T20 World Cup approaches, with just over a month to go, teams are in the thick of finalising their squads. The ICC's deadline for squad submission is May 1, but teams can make changes without restrictions until May 25.
This additional month allows for careful consideration of the team composition. It's expected that there won't be significant changes for Bangladesh team, except for possibly one or two positions.
The BCB recently announced a 17-player roster for the upcoming Zimbabwe series camp. Notably absent from the list are Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan due to IPL commitments and Shakib's stay in the USA, respectively. They are expected to participate in some matches of the Zimbabwe series and their inclusion in the World Cup squad is certain.
From the announced 17, another 13 players will be chosen to form the final World Cup squad. It's unlikely that anyone outside of these 17 will be considered unless unforeseen circumstances such as injuries occur.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz, for instance, will not be considered unless there's an injury to an off-spinner, as confirmed by the chief selector. There aren't any standout performances from players outside the 17 that would merit their inclusion.
For the remaining five spots in the 17-player list, there's no uncertainty around captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Shariful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Mahmudullah Riyad, Sheikh Mehedi Hasan, and Rishad Hossain. Zakir Ali Anik, who impressed in the middle order during the Sri Lanka series, is likely to secure a spot if he maintains his form in the Zimbabwe series.
The team has four spots left for an opener, a backup top-order batter, a left-arm spinner, and a pacer. Soumya Sarkar, recovering from an injury, is a strong contender for the opener's role, with his medium-pace bowling adding to his value. Tanzid Hasan Tamim is ahead in the race for the backup top-order batter position.
The competition for the fourth pacer's spot is between Mohammad Saifuddin and Tanzim Hasan Sakib, both of whom are all-rounders. Saifuddin's impressive performance in the last BPL makes him a strong candidate, especially as a specialist in the death overs.
Considering the expected slow nature of the pitches in the West Indies and the USA, Bangladesh might bolster its spin department. Besides Shakib Al Hasan, the team could benefit from another left-arm spinner. Tanvir Islam and Hasan Murad are vying for this position, and their performance in the Zimbabwe series could be decisive.
Bangladesh’s likely World Cup squad: Nazmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Litton Kumar Das, Tanjid Hasan Tamim, Soumya Sarkar, Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad, Zakir Ali Anik, Sheikh Mehedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shariful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin, and either Hasan Murad or Tanvir Islam for the final spot.