Bangladesh cricket starts afresh as wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das has been appointed the T20I captain. The Bangladesh Cricket Board communicated this on 4 May 2025, and Litton will lead the side through the 2026 T20 World Cup. After 2024 being a roller coaster season, this appointment represents a change in gear for Bangladesh cricket, with the objective of reinvigorating the T20 setup and developing a more robust squad that will be able to consistently get results in the future.

Litton Das has been appointed after former T20I captain Najmul Hossain Shanto made it clear a few weeks ago that he no longer wanted to captain in a T20I format due to work overload. Litton has aggressive bat skills and superb glovework, so he will be a great asset as captain in T20s. In addition, Litton has captain experience of leading Bangladesh in four T20Is prior to this assignment. Off-spinning all-rounder Mahedi Hasan has been appointed as vice-captain for the upcoming series against UAE and Pakistan. This appointment will be temporary, and the board will be grooming captains in the long-vectored future.

Bangladesh needed to make this decision at a critical stage, as it had been obvious for many years now that they have struggled in the shortest format of the game, especially since being such a successful ODI team over the last 10 years. There will be seven T20Is versus UAE and Pakistan in May/June 2025; Das will have an immediate chance to stamp his authority. His first task will be leading a 16-member squad featuring the return of key players like Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, and Mustafizur Rahman, all aiming to turn around Bangladesh’s T20 fortunes.

A Focus on Experience for the Future

Bangladesh Cricket Operations Chair Najmul Abedin elaborated, “Litton Das will lead the side until the T20 World Cup next year. For Litton, experience has been an important factor. We don’t have many experienced players in the current setup.” So the board does plan to incorporate Das' maturity while trying to deal with a new squad, following the loss of several established white-ball players.

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Das' tenure starts with two T20Is against UAE in Sharjah on May 17 and 19, and the five-match tour of Pakistan, which begins May 25. With Mahedi Hasan as the deputy for these tours, Das will have to incorporate experience with the up-and-coming cricketers to develop a squad for the 2026 men's T20 World Cup. There seems to be excitement amongst the fanbase - could this be the dawn of something special for Bangladesh cricket?