Bangladesh Contemplates Top-Order Change for T20 World Cup
The Bangladesh cricket team is considering a top-order reshuffle, potentially positioning veteran all-rounder Shakib Al-Hasan higher in the batting order for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup.
Shakib, who has primarily batted at No.5 or No.6 in recent T20I matches, has shown impressive performance when placed at first drop for Bangladesh in previous games.
Shakib Al-Hasan’s T20I Performance by Batting Position
| Position | Total Runs | Average | Strike-rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opener | 9 | 9 | 75 |
| No.3 | 1085 | 29.32 | 123.15 |
| No.4 | 880 | 22.56 | 127.16 |
| No.5 | 309 | 16.26 | 110.75 |
| No.6 | 91 | 30.33 | 130 |
| No.7 | 30 | 10 | 93.75 |
The 37-year-old Shakib has scored seven of his 12 T20I half-centuries when batting at No.3, and even held this position against India at the most recent T20 World Cup in Australia.
Over the past year, team captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has held the No.3 spot for Bangladesh, but the 25-year-old was used as an opener in Australia during the last T20 showcase.
Shanto to Lead Bangladesh’s Squad for T20 World Cup
On Wednesday, Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha suggested that no batter was guaranteed a fixed position for the T20 World Cup. Shanto confirmed that promoting Shakib to No.3 was a serious consideration.
“The decision will depend on the match conditions and the strength of the opposition, but Shakib batting at No.3 is a possibility,” Shanto told Cricbuzz.
Other top-order batters in Bangladesh’s 15-player group for the T20 World Cup include Litton Das, Tanzid Hossain, and Soumya Sarkar. Hathurusingha emphasized that all players should be prepared to bat in any position, depending on the game’s status and pitch conditions.
“In T20 cricket, the batting order will be changing. It’s about where you bat and how best you bat,” he said.
Bangladesh is in Group D at the T20 World Cup, alongside Sri Lanka, South Africa, Nepal, and the Netherlands. Their opening match is against Sri Lanka in Dallas on June 7.
Despite participating in every T20 World Cup since its inception in 2008, Bangladesh has yet to secure a semi-final spot. They have, however, advanced to the second round in the last four editions of the tournament.
Final Over Thriller: at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022
Hathurusingha, a former Sri Lanka international, is hopeful for a change this time around. His initial goal for the team is to reach the Super 8s stage of the tournament.
“We have high expectations as players, staff, fans, and as a country. The first step is to get through this challenging group stage. We are in a very strong group. If we get through that, that’s the main target, and then we’ll take it from there,” he said.
Bangladesh Squad:
Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmud Ullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Travelling reserves: Afif Hossain, Hasan Mahmud