Shakib named as Tigers skipper for T20 World Cup

Shakib Al Hasan has returned as captain of Bangladesh's T20 team for the Asia Cup and World Cup, putting to rest speculation over the allrounder's future due to his ties with a betting company.

Shakib was reportedly told by the country's cricket board (BCB) this week to choose between playing for the national team or keeping his gambling site endorsement deal. He terminated his contract with the company on Thursday.

The 35-year-old was given a two-year ban, with 12 months suspended, by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in October 2019 for failing to report approaches from a bookmaker.

He returned to the field in a three-match ODI series against West Indies in January 2021.

Prior to his suspension, Shakib was Bangladesh's Test and T20 captain. He was appointed Test captain again in June this year and replaces Nurul Hasan as T20 captain, who had taken over from Mahmudullah in July after the veteran allrounder due to poor performances.

On Saturday, the BCB also named a 17-player squad for the Asia Cup that gets underway in the UAE on August 27, with batter Sabbir Rahman and veteran wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim both returning to the fold.

Selectors also included Nurul despite a fractured finger. The wicketkeeper led the T20 side in Zimbabwe last month before being ruled out of the series, which Bangladesh lost 2-1, due to the injury, with Mosaddek Hossain taking the reigns for the rest of the series.

Bangladesh play a T20 tri-series against New Zealand and Pakistan leading up to the World Cup in Australia, which starts on October 16.

Bangladesh have been drawn in group two alongside India, Pakistan, South Africa and two qualifiers from the first phase of the tournament, with the Tigers to open their campaign against one of the qualifiers in Hobart on October 24.

Bangladesh Asia Cup squad: Shakib Al Hasan (c), Anamul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed, Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Ebadot Hossain, Parvez Hossain Emon, Nurul Hasan, Taskin Ahmed