WC 2015: Mashrafe Mortaza to lead Bangladesh

Dhaka, Jan 5: Veteran pacer Mashrafe Mortaza will lead the Bangladesh side in the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand while Shakib Al Hasan will be his deputy. The 15-man squad for the quadrennial tournament was announced on Sunday (January 4). []

The squad features five specialist batsmen and six specialist bowlers besides three all-rounders and a wicketkeeper. The side has a blend of youth and experience with the likes of Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim along with Mortaze and Shakib forming the core of the side. [Ireland squad announced]

Soumya Sarkar, the 21-year-old all-rounder who has done well in the domestic season, 19-year-old Taskin Ahmed who took five wickets against India on debut in June last year and Taijul Islam who made a hat-trick on his one-day debut against Zimbabwe.

Bangladesh, who are clubbed with England, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and Afghanistan in Pool A, will leave for Australia on January 24. They will play two unofficial practice matches besides taking on Pakistan and Ireland in warm-up fixtures.

Bangladesh will leave for Australia on January 24, and will play two unofficial practice matches apart from the warm-up fixtures against Pakistan and Ireland on February 9 and 12, respectively.

The team's first match in the World Cup is against debutants Afghanistan at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on February 17.

Bangladesh made their World Cup debut in 1999 and shocked Pakistan in that edition. Bangladesh's best performance in the World Cup came in 2007 when they reached the Super Eight stage beating India.

BANGLADESH SQUAD FOR 2015 WC:

Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Shakib Al Hasan (vice-capt), Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah Riaz, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Nasir Hossain, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Al-Amin Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman, Arafat Sunny

BANGLADESH ITINERARY AT WC 2015:

vs Afghanistan (Feb 17), vs Australia (Feb 21), vs Sri Lanka (Feb 26), vs Scotland (Mar 5), vs England (Mar 9), vs New Zealand (Mar 13)

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