Litton named T20I captain till 2026 World Cup, Mahedi vice-captain as Shanto and Hridoy return

Litton Das has been named Bangladesh's T20I captain through to the 2026 T20 World Cup, as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 16-member squad for the upcoming T20I series against the UAE and Pakistan.

This decision follows Litton's successful stint as stand-in captain during the West Indies tour, where Bangladesh completed a clean sweep.

The squad also sees the return of Najmul Hossain Shanto and MD Tawhid Hridoy, while seasoned campaigners Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed have been omitted. The other players to miss out are Nasum Ahmed and Ripon Mondol.

With a  three-week gap between the Zimbabwe and Pakistan series, the Tigers will use the window to play a preparatory series against the UAE. That series will formally mark Litton's tenure as full-time captain of the T20I side, while Shak Mahedi Hasan has been appointed as vice-captain. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who was earlier named vice-captain, is not in the squad.

Shanto had previously captained Bangladesh across all three formats but stepped down from T20I leadership in January this year. An injury ruled him out of the most recent T20I series against the West Indies, paving the way for Litton to take charge. Under his leadership, Bangladesh whitewashed the hosts 3–0, drawing praise for both his tactical clarity and composure.

Despite currently nursing a finger injury, team management is optimistic about Litton's recovery ahead of the series. He will now lead Bangladesh through a crucial phase as the team prepares for the T20 World Cup next year.

Bangladesh squad for UAE and Pakistan T20I series:

Litton Das (captain), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali Anik, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan (vice-captain), Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana, and Shoriful Islam.