Soumya Sarkar recalled as Bangladesh name squad for Afghanistan T20Is

Jaker Ali will continue as the stand-in captain in the absence of the injured Litton Das

Left-handed batter Soumya Sarkar has been handed a recall to Bangladesh’s T20I squad for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan in Sharjah.

Jaker Ali Anik will continue as captain in the absence of the injured Litton Das.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed on Sunday that Litton remains sidelined with a side strain sustained during the Asia Cup earlier this month.

He missed the final two games of the tournament against India and Pakistan.

National team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan said an MRI scan had revealed “a grade 1 strain on the left abdominal muscle,” ruling the regular skipper out of the Afghanistan series.

“He is undergoing recovery and will not be available. The medical team will continue to manage his rehab and monitor his progress,” Bayjedul added, without specifying a timeframe for Litton’s return.

Soumya, 32, is the only change from the squad that featured in the Asia Cup in the UAE.

The left-handed opener last played a T20I in December 2024 during the West Indies tour but has since missed series against the UAE and Pakistan through injury.

Jaker, meanwhile, led Bangladesh in their last two Asia Cup fixtures but has struggled to establish himself in the finisher’s role, recording single-digit scores in his last three innings.

The series against Afghanistan will be played on Oct 2, 3 and 5 in Sharjah.

It will mark Bangladesh’s second T20I series at the venue this year, following a 2-1 defeat to hosts UAE in May. The Tigers also lost to Afghanistan at the same ground in 2022.

Bangladesh T20I squad:

Jaker Ali Anik (captain), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Rishad Hossain, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Md Shaif Uddin, Soumya Sarkar.