First batch of Tigers leave for UAE series

The first batch of players and coaching staff of the national cricket team left for UAE this morning, ahead of their two-match T20 series.

The team is departing for the UAE in two separate groups. The first group, comprising 10 players and a few members of the coaching staff including the head coach, boarded their flight at 10am, while the remaining members are set to leave at 7:00pm. 

Captain Liton Das, and senior players including Najmul Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman along with senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahudin will board the evening flight.

According to the schedule, the two T20 matches will be held on May 17 and May 19 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Both games will begin at 9:00pm Bangladesh time.

The Bangladesh team were originally scheduled to play a five-match T20 series against Pakistan following this series. However, due to the recent escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan, the fate of that series remains uncertain as Bangladesh Cricket Board is awaiting a green signal from the government for going to Pakistan under a revised schedule.

This short UAE series, meanwhile, marks the beginning of Bangladesh's preparations for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. It also serves as Liton's first official assignment as the full-time captain of the national team. Sheikh Mahedi Hasan will serve as the vice-captain.

With a new leadership duo and a vision for the future, this series is expected to set the tone for Bangladesh's roadmap towards the next World Cup.