Bangladesh T20I captain Litton Das has acknowledged the strides his team has made in recent bilateral series but emphasized the urgent need to sharpen death-over bowling ahead of the T20 World Cup, scheduled for early next year in India and Sri Lanka.
Speaking after Bangladesh’s back-to-back T20I series wins against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, Litton praised the bowling unit’s performance with the new ball but didn’t shy away from identifying concerns in the final overs of the innings—a phase that often decides the outcome in T20 cricket.
“We are bowling very well with the new ball, but we need to do well in the death overs. The team believes the same,” Litton said after the series win against Pakistan on Friday. “Obviously, we have to bat well because when you are continuously batting well on good wickets, the bowlers have more chances to win the match.”
Mustafizur Remains Key, Others Must Step Up
Litton specifically highlighted Mustafizur Rahman’s reputation as a deadly death bowler but urged the rest of the attack to step up their execution under pressure.
“We all know how deadly Mustafizur can be in the death overs, but for the others, this is the time to improve in this area ahead of the World Cup,” he said. “If that happens, we will improve as a team.”
Managing Workload: A Rotational Approach
The Bangladesh skipper also underscored the importance of rotating fast bowlers such as Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, and Mustafizur to preserve their fitness leading into the World Cup. The Bangladesh pace battery has had to manage recurring injuries, particularly with Taskin and Shoriful missing key games due to fitness concerns.
“Taskin has returned to T20s after a long time. You all probably know that if he keeps playing continuously, the chances of injury are higher for him,” Litton noted.
“The same goes for Shoriful—he had a groin injury during the Pakistan series and then again in Kandy and Dambulla. We must understand how many games a player can handle in a row.”
He also confirmed that depth in the pace department exists but stressed the importance of keeping frontline quicks healthy and ready.
“Apart from the ones you see now in the Bangladesh team, there are two or three more top pace bowlers. If we lose any of them for any reason, then the dreams and hopes we have won’t be fulfilled. Every player deserves an opportunity, but at the same time, their fitness must be carefully monitored.”
Backing the Middle Order, While Keeping Options Open
While Bangladesh’s middle order has shown signs of promise, inconsistencies remain. Litton expressed confidence in Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, and Shamim Hossain Patowary, who have all played significant roles in recent games. However, he also acknowledged the need to prepare backups in case of injuries.
“I believe that Hridoy, the way he bats, along with Jaker and Shamim, are currently Bangladesh’s best middle-order batters,” Litton said. “But since our vision is World Cup-focused, if one of these three players gets injured, then we must have backups ready. So, this is always on our mind.”
Rest Before Regrouping for Asia Cup
After 40+ days of non-stop cricket, the Bangladesh squad will now take a short break, with their home series against India being rescheduled. The players are expected to return for a training camp ahead of the Asia Cup, which serves as a key preparatory platform before the T20 World Cup.
With momentum from recent victories and clear-eyed focus on key areas like death bowling and player rotation, Litton Das and his team seem intent on tightening loose ends as Bangladesh builds towards a strong showing in 2025.
