The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has confirmed that five Indian players will be surely available for Asia XI during the upcoming special T20I series against World XI. However, they have the only doubt on the availability of the Indian captain Virat Kohli.
The BCB is organising the two-match special T20I series between Asia XI and World XI in the centenary birthday celebration of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of Bangladesh. Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (Dhaka) will host these two T20Is on 21st and 22nd March 2020.
In late February, the BCB named both the squads tentatively. The BCB named six Indian players for the Asia XI squad, and these players were KL Rahul (available for one match), Virat Kohli (confirmation required), Shikhar Dhawan, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant. However, while Rahul will be available only for one match, the board was waiting for the final confirmation on the availability of the Indian captain Kohli.
On last Sunday (8th March), the BCB President Nazmul Hassan Papon has freshly spoken about the availabilities of the players for both sides. While he has confirmed that Asia XI have been finalised, they have also already finalised 11 players of World XI. The board is now waiting for the confirmations of Australian players.
The BCB President claimed, “Asia XI have been finalized. I got the list perfectly. There are 11 players in the World XI right now, 3 or 4 more players will make it 15. We’re waiting for Australian players. Other countries are fairly final. PSL (Pakistan Super League) is going on, so hopefully, we can finish within 1-2 days. We want cricketers to come from all countries, players from Australia as well. And that’s why we’re waiting. But 11 players have been confirmed.”
Trying to play Virat Kohli: The BCB chief about Asia XI squad
The BCB President has also confirmed that KL Rahul will be available only for the second game of this special series. However, they are still waiting for the confirmation of the Indian skipper as they can’t guarantee on Kohli’s availability for the upcoming special T20I matches.
Otherwise, all the Indians have been confirmed as Shikhar Dhawan, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant will be available for both the matches against World XI.
The BCB President added, “Confusion is taking place with Virat Kohli. Rahul (Lokesh Rahul) will play a match on March 22. And the rest – Shikhar Dhawan, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammad Shami and Rishabh Pant will all play both matches. KL Rahul will play one match. There was another thing, trying to play Virat Kohli. We’re still talking about this since we did not have confirmation, I cannot say for sure. Rahul will play surely. This confirmation has come.”
Asia XI Squad (confirmed): KL Rahul (only for the second match), Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Liton Das, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Thisara Perera, Rashid Khan, Mustafizur Rahman, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lasith Malinga, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Full fixtures of Mujib 100 T20 Cup Bangladesh 2020
(Two-match T20I series between Asia XI and World XI)
21st March 2020: First ODI – Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (Dhaka)
22nd March 2020: Second ODI – Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (Dhaka)