Bangladesh have made it to the final of the two most recent Asia Cup editions, going down to India on each occasion. Armed with greater experience, they would hope that they can snap this streak at the 2022 Asia Cup.

That, though, is easier said than done, considering Bangladesh have been performing pretty poorly in the shortest format lately. Their most recent series ended in defeat against Zimbabwe, which came on the back of a 2-0 thumping against the West Indies. Since the start of the Super 12 stage of the 2021 T20 World Cup, the Tigers have won only two matches (out of 16), with those wins coming against Afghanistan and Zimbabwe.

The captaincy musical chairs has installed Shakib Al Hasan at the helm for the Asia Cup. He was not a part of the side that toured Zimbabwe, meaning that he should be well-rested. The Tigers would want their skipper to stand up to the occasion, considering how their T20I fortunes have dwindled in the recent past.

Elsewhere, the duo of Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim should add experience to the squad. Afif Hossain and Mosaddek Hossain have also grown in stature, while Mohammad Naim, reportedly included as a late replacement, will also have a point to prove.

On the bowling front, they would hope their spinners come to the party. Nasum Ahmed has done well whenever called upon. Mosaddek’s bowling has improved significantly over the past few months and in Mahedi Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, they have two tweakers capable of keeping things tight.

If the pitches are not very conducive to spin, Bangladesh might look towards Ebadot Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed. Each has the ability to be a match-winner, although each has been plagued by inconsistency. Unlike previous editions, Bangladesh might not enter this tournament as one of the teams to watch out for. On their day, however, they could still make a mark at the Asia Cup.

Asia Cup schedule: Bangladesh schedule

(All timings are in local time; all matches will begin at 2 pm GMT)

August 30, Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, 6 pm

September 1, Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, Dubai International Stadium, 6 pm

Asia Cup 2022: Key players

Shakib Al Hasan

As always, Shakib will play a huge role in whatever Bangladesh accomplish at the Asia Cup. A genuine all-rounder, he has the capability to single-handedly win games of cricket. He did not feature in IPL 2022 but having spent time away from the sport, he would be chomping at the bit to leave his mark. In a batting unit that has been guilty of being too conservative, his vast range of strokes could prove pivotal.

Mustafizur Rahman

Mustafizur’s bag of tricks could define how Bangladesh’s campaign transpires. In recent months, they have struggled with the ball, with Mustafizur not being very consistent either. Historically, though, he has been excellent in multi-nation tournaments; he averages 18.11 in T20 World Cups and 24 in the Asia Cup, having picked up a total of 20 wickets in 13 innings. The Tigers would hope that he can have a similar impact this time out too.

Bangladesh Asia Cup 2022: Squad

Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Anamul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed, Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Parvez Hossain Emon