UAE Announces Squad for T20I Series Against Bangladesh

The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has revealed its 15-member team for the forthcoming T20I series against Bangladesh.

The series, consisting of two matches, will be held on May 17 and 19 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. This event marks the UAE’s return to the T20I arena since their last appearance in December 2023.

Leadership and Key Players

Muhammad Waseem will reassume his role as captain for this series. He previously stepped down from the captaincy in October of the previous year to concentrate on his batting performance in ODIs.

During Waseem’s absence, Rahul Chopra, the wicketkeeper-batter, took the helm and distinguished himself by scoring a century in the Cricket World Cup League 2.

Waseem, 29, who has led the UAE in 26 T20Is between 2023 and 2024, is still regarded as one of the team’s most important batters in the shortest game format.

Since his debut in 2021, he has become the highest run-scorer in T20 Internationals across the globe—an impressive achievement for a player from an emerging cricket nation.

Recent Performance Concerns

However, his recent form has been a concern, as he has not scored a half-century in the recent ILT20 and has only one ODI fifty in the last two years.

The UAE’s recent form has been a cause for concern. During their May matches in the Netherlands as part of the Cricket World Cup League 2, they only secured one victory out of five matches, which was largely due to Chopra’s century and Simranjeet Singh’s four-wicket haul against Scotland.

UAE Squad for T20I Series Against Bangladesh:
  • Muhammad Waseem (captain)
  • Alishan Sharafu
  • Aryansh Sharma
  • Asif Khan
  • Dhruv Parashar
  • Ethan D’Souza
  • Haider Ali
  • Matiullah Khan
  • Muhammad Jawadullah
  • Muhammad Zohaib
  • Muhammad Zuhaib
  • Rahul Chopra (wk)
  • Saghir Khan
  • Sanchit Sharma
  • Simranjeet Singh