Tigers take on UAE in first T20I Sunday

Bangladesh are all set to face hosts UAE in the first of the two-match T20 series on Sunday.

Nurul Hasan Sohan will lead the Tigers instead of regular captain Shakib Al Hasan who is now playing in the Caribbean Premier League.

The match will begin at 8pm Bangladesh time. The second and last match will take place on September 27, starting at the same time.

The series against the UAE has been organised to help Bangladesh, which performed poorly in the Asia Cup, gear up for the New Zealand tri-series and the T20 World Cup in Australia next month.

Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain gets a maiden senior call-up. Batter Soumya Sarkar also gets a recall, having last played a T20I in November 2021. Left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam has also been included in the 17-member squad. 

The squad will return to Bangladesh on September 28 to continue their preparations for the marquee event in Australia, before departing for New Zealand for their T20I tri-series against the Blackcaps and Pakistan.