The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially announced its 20-member preliminary squad for the upcoming ICC Men's Under-19 World Cup, scheduled to be held in Zimbabwe in 2026. The selection marks a crucial early step in the team's preparation for the prestigious global youth tournament.
Meet the Young Tigers: Squad Composition and Leadership
Leading the charge for the Bangladesh U19 team will be left-handed top-order batter Saumik Sarkar, who has been appointed captain. His deputy will be another promising batter, Sheikh Jibon. The squad features a mix of batting talent and bowling options, aiming to build a balanced unit capable of challenging for the title in two years' time.
The selected players are set to embark on an intensive training and competition schedule. Their first major assignment will be a tour to Sri Lanka, where they will play a series of youth One-Day Internationals (ODIs). This tour is designed to provide invaluable match experience and help the team gel under the leadership of Sarkar and the team management.
Full Squad List for Bangladesh Under-19s
The complete 20-player squad announced by the BCB is as follows:
Saumik Sarkar (Captain), Sheikh Jibon (Vice-Captain), Ashiqur Rahman Shibli, Ahsanul Haque, Ariful Islam, Jisan Alam, Hasan Murad, Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby, Mohammad Ashrafu, Musfik Hasan, Ahrar Amin, Dhihit Ranjan Das, Iqbal Hossain Emon, Rohanat Doullah Borson, Shakib Al Shahriar, SM Meherob, Mohaiminul Taiab, Asadullah Al Galib, Parvez Rahman Jibon, and Rizwan Chowdhury.
The Road to Zimbabwe 2026
This early squad announcement underscores the importance the BCB places on long-term planning for the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026. By identifying and assembling the core group well in advance, the board aims to provide the youngsters with ample time to develop their skills, understand their roles, and build team chemistry.
The selection committee, led by Abdur Razzak, has focused on picking players who have shown potential in domestic age-group cricket. The upcoming tour to Sri Lanka will serve as a critical filtering process, allowing the coaches to assess the players in competitive international conditions before finalizing the group that will eventually travel to Zimbabwe.
Bangladesh has a strong history in the U19 World Cup, having won the championship in 2020. The current selection is the first major step in the journey to replicate that success. The team's performance in the lead-up tournaments and bilateral series will be closely watched by fans and analysts alike.
With the captaincy entrusted to Saumik Sarkar, the team will look to build a resilient and aggressive unit. The focus will be on honing skills, managing pressure in big games, and developing a winning mentality ahead of the global spectacle in Zimbabwe.
