### Bangladesh Contemplates Shakib Al-Hasan's Promotion in T20 World Cup Batting Order
Bangladesh is yet to finalize their batting order for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, with the promotion of veteran all-rounder Shakib Al-Hasan to the No. 3 position still under consideration.
Shakib, who has traditionally batted at No. 5 or No. 6 in T20 Internationals, has demonstrated strong performances when coming in at first drop. His statistics at various positions highlight his versatility:
| Position | Total Runs | Average | Strike-rate |
|----------|-------------|---------|-------------|
| Opener | 9 | 9.00 | 75.00 |
| No. 3 | 1085 | 29.32 | 123.15 |
| No. 4 | 880 | 22.56 | 127.16 |
| No. 5 | 309 | 16.26 | 110.75 |
| No. 6 | 91 | 30.33 | 130.00 |
| No. 7 | 30 | 10.00 | 93.75 |
The 37-year-old has scored seven of his 12 T20I half-centuries while batting at No. 3, and he even occupied this spot against India in the last T20 World Cup in Australia.
In the past year, skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto has been Bangladesh's regular No. 3, although he was used as an opener in Australia during the last World Cup. Shanto will lead Bangladesh's squad in the upcoming tournament.
Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha indicated that batting positions are still fluid. Shanto mentioned that promoting Shakib to No. 3 is a viable option, contingent on match conditions and opposition strength. "It depends on the condition and the strength of the opposition, but it can happen (Shakib batting at No. 3)," Shanto told Cricbuzz.
The team also includes other top-order options such as Litton Das, Tanzid Hossain, and Soumya Sarkar. Hathurusingha emphasized the importance of flexibility, noting that players must be prepared to adapt based on the game's demands and pitch conditions. "In T20 cricket, yes, the batting order will be changing. It's about where you bat and how best you bat," he stated.
Bangladesh is drawn in Group D alongside Sri Lanka, South Africa, Nepal, and the Netherlands. Their campaign begins against Sri Lanka in Dallas on June 7. Despite consistently reaching the second round in the last four editions of the T20 World Cup, Bangladesh has yet to secure a semi-final spot since the tournament's inception in 2008.
Hathurusingha aims to change this trend, setting an initial goal of progressing to the Super 8s. “We have high expectations as players, staff, and as a nation. The first step is to get through this difficult group stage. We are in a very strong group. If we get through that, we’ll take it from there," he said.
### Bangladesh Squad for T20 World Cup:
- **Najmul Hossain Shanto (c)**
- Taskin Ahmed
- Litton Das
- Soumya Sarkar
- Tanzid Hasan Tamim
- Shakib Al Hasan
- Tawhid Hridoy
- Mahmud Ullah Riyad
- Jaker Ali Anik
- Tanvir Islam
- Shak Mahedi Hasan
- Rishad Hossain
- Mustafizur Rahman
- Shoriful Islam
- Tanzim Hasan Sakib
**Travelling Reserves:** Afif Hossain, Hasan Mahmud
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