• Home
  • Cricket News
  • Bangladesh Squad For T20 World Cup 2026 Locked Najmul Hossain Shanto Jaker Ali Out

Bangladesh squad for T20 World Cup 2026 locked; Najmul Hossain Shanto, Jaker Ali OUT

Rajgeeta Yadav

Bangladesh's Najmul Hossain Shanto and Jaker Ali [Source: X.com]Bangladesh's Najmul Hossain Shanto and Jaker Ali [Source: X.com]

Ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Bangladesh have sent their preliminary 15-member squad for the major tournament. The event will be held next month across India and Sri Lanka. The early squad shows several surprising decisions, with some well-known names missing from the list.

One of the biggest talking points is the absence of star batter Najmul Hossain Shanto. According to reports from the Daily Sun, his name does not appear in Bangladesh’s initial World Cup squad. This decision has raised many questions, especially looking at his recent form in domestic cricket.

Najmul Hossain Shanto likely to be overlooked despite good form in BPL

At present, Shanto is playing in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL 2025–26) and is in excellent touch. After four innings, he leads the run charts with 203 runs. He has an average of 67.66 and a strong strike rate of 147.10. These numbers clearly show his batting rhythm and confidence.

Even so, Shanto has stayed away from the T20Is side for a long period. He has mainly played Test and ODI matches in recent times. His last T20I appearance came against the UAE earlier this year. In that match, he scored 27 runs with an average of 27.00 and a strike rate of 142.11. This remains his only T20I outing in 2025.

Parvez Hossain Emon expected to bat at No. 4 

Meanwhile, Cricbuzz has reported another key update from the Bangladesh camp. Parvez Hossain Emon is expected to bat at number four during the upcoming World Cup. The selectors seem confident in his ability to handle this role.

At the same time, Jaker Ali has failed to keep his place in the squad. His recent form did not impress the selectors. 

Meanwhile, a team official explained that Shanto was not picked to avoid a situation where he would remain on the bench throughout the World Cup. Jaker Ali’s form was viewed as below the required level for selection.

Shamim Hossain likely to be included as a finisher

Shamim Hossain, who drew attention after missing the first two T20Is against Ireland, managed to keep his spot. He is expected to play the role of a finisher in the squad.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board finalized the squad on December 31 in Sylhet after discussions between selectors and captain Litton Das. BCB president Aminul Islam approved the list on January 1 and sent it to the ICC. Changes are allowed until January 20, though officials feel the squad will stay the same unless something unusual happens in the BPL.

Notably, Bangladesh are placed in Group C along with Italy, England, West Indies, and Nepal. Their World Cup journey will begin on February 7 against West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.