Bangladesh have announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup which is scheduled to start on October 16 next month in Australia. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed the squad on Wednesday through a press conference. The squad will also travel for the tri-nation series in New Zealand against the hosts and Pakistan before the World Cup.

The most notable omission from the squad is the former captain Mahmudullah Riyad. There’s been much speculation about his inclusion for some time, especially his poor performance in the recently concluded Asia Cup.

Yasir Ali gets the chance in the squad to replace the veteran Riyad. The 36-year-old Mahmudullah got average runs in the Asia Cup as he scored 52 runs in two matches but he failed to show any attacking intent. So, there’s been much criticism about him for many days. Overall, Riyad has been in poor form in T20Is for a long time as he last hit a half-century almost one year ago.

So, after Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim announced their retirement, another experienced cricketer Riyad was dropped from the squad. Also, another surprise inclusion is top-order batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto. He was not in the squad for the Asia Cup. He played only 9 T20Is in his career. The left-handed batsman takes the place of Anamul Haque Bijoy who's in the Asia Cup squad.

All-rounder Mahedi Hasan has not been picked for the main squad as he’ll go to UAE for the World Cup as a standby player along with Shoriful Islam, Soumya Sarkar, and Rishad Hossain.

Squad: Shakib Al Hasan (c), Litton Das, Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mosaddek Hossain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Yasir Ali, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain and Hasan Mahmud.

Standby players: Mahedi Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Rishad Hossain.