Salma Khatun to lead experienced Bangladesh in T20 World Cup; Rumana Ahmed returns

Having missed a large chunk of the 2019 season due to a knee injury, Rumana Ahmed makes a successful return to Bangladesh’s squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia beginning next month. The allrounder, who missed the 2019 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Scotland, returned for Bangladesh’s tour to Pakistan that followed, and then missed the recent T20 Quadrangular series in Patna, adds a great deal of experience to the team as they prepare for their fourth T20 World Cup campaign.

Rumana is the only inclusion to the squad that won the T20 Quadrangular series in Patna earlier this month. The 18-member squad has been trimmed down to 15, with the quartet of Lata Mondal, Shaila Sharmin, Suraya Azmim and Rabeya missing out on the trip to Australia.

Bangladesh have put together an experienced unit with 13 members of the traveling party having played in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup. The squad have played a combined total of 662 T20Is, with seven players featuring in more than 50 T20Is. Expectedly, veteran Salma Khatun will be at the helm of the squad. Among the group, 17-year-old batter, Shobhana Mostary, and Murshida Khatun, the 20-year-old left-hand opener, will be playing in their first world tournament.

As expected, Bangladesh go into the tournament with a spin-heavy bowling attack. Salma, Rumana, Fahima Khatun, Khadija Tul Kubra, and Nahida Akter are the team’s frontline spinners, while Jahanara Alam, Panna Ghosh, Ritu Moni and Sanjida Islam’s part-time seamers will form the pace attack.

While Bangladesh have always shown great promise with the ball when competing with the top teams, it is their batting that has often let them down. They will be counting on big-hitting Ayasha Rahman to get them off to flying starts, with the likes of Nigar Sultana, Fargana Hoque and Fahima coming in the middle to lift the rate with their innovation and quick running between the wickets.

Bangladesh are grouped alongside Australia, India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka and will begin their campaign against Harmanpreet Kaur’s side in February 24.

Squad: Salma Khatun (captain), Rumana Ahmed (vice-captain), Jahanara Alam, Shamima Sultana, Murshida Khatun Happy, Ayesha Rahman, Nigar Sultana Joty, Sanjida Islam, Khadija-Tul-Kubra, Panna Ghosh, Fargana Haque Pinki, Nahida Akhter, Fahima Khatun, Ritu Moni and Sobhana Mostary.