Bangladesh Clinch Fifth T20I Series of 2025 as Litton Says Team “Almost Ready” for 2026 T20 World Cup
Bangladesh captain Litton Das believes his side is “almost ready” for the 2026 T20 World Cup after sealing a 2–1 series victory over Ireland, their fifth T20I series win of the year. The hosts completed the comeback on Tuesday with a dominant eight-wicket win, chasing down the target with 38 balls to spare.
Bangladesh have now played a record 30 T20Is in 2025, using the heavy schedule to refine combinations and build squad depth. Their Ireland triumph follows series wins over Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Netherlands and Afghanistan, consolidating a positive year despite losses to Pakistan, UAE and West Indies.
Comeback and Fielding Improvements Impress Captain
After losing the opening match, Bangladesh responded strongly to take the remaining two games. Litton said he was particularly pleased with the side’s ability to recover from pressure moments and show clear progress in the field.
“I wanted the team to win from pressure situations,” Litton said after the third T20I. “We couldn’t overcome the pressure in the first game but we fought back to win the series. We are not a good fielding unit, but we took some brilliant catches in this series. At least in the fielding department, we have shown improvement.”
He added that playing so many matches in a single year has accelerated the team’s development. “I think our players have become more mature. The credit goes to all the players and coaching staff. Our team was ready since the Asia Cup. We have only used a certain number of players since then.”
Experimentation Key as Bangladesh Shape World Cup Squad
Litton acknowledged that 2025 has been a year of experimentation as Bangladesh look ahead to the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. In the final T20I against Ireland, all available openers were trialled in the top four, while bowling roles—including the final over—were reshuffled.
“We made certain changes that were risky—like Fizz [Mustafizur Rahman] not bowling the last over today,” Litton said. “I wanted to see how Saifuddin bowled after not playing two matches. We tried almost everything. This bunch of players is almost ready for the next World Cup.”
Despite improvements, Bangladesh’s middle order remains unsettled. The No. 6 spot is still open, with Jaker Ali, Nurul Hasan and Shamim Hossain each given an opportunity during the series. Litton said results from upcoming BPL performances will also influence final selections.
“I am not too concerned about it,” he said. “Not everyone will get runs in every series. You saw Towhid Hridoy doing well in this series. I want them to score runs in the BPL, and then bring that to the World Cup.”
Tough Choices Among Spinners
With three frontline spinners—Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain and Nasum Ahmed—Bangladesh continue to face selection dilemmas. Litton said leaving out one of his “match-winners” is never easy.
“Sometimes my performer has to sit out,” he said. “They have accepted my decisions. They are good team-mates. It will keep happening in the future, but of course we explain to them why they weren’t picked.”
Bangladesh do not have any T20Is scheduled for the remainder of the year, making the upcoming BPL a crucial platform for players to cement their spots ahead of the 2026 World Cup.