Litton Das Named Bangladesh T20I Captain: What Happened At The 2026 T20 World Cup

Published: May 4, 2025, 11:31 PM IST | Updated: October 25, 2026, 12:51 AM IST
Written by Akash Saha | Edited and fact-checked by Amit Saha | Editorial policy

Bangladesh cricket · Updated October 2026

Litton Das: Bangladesh’s T20I captain

The Bangladesh Cricket Board named Litton Das as T20I captain in May 2025, replacing Najmul Hossain Shanto, with the 2026 T20 World Cup as the target. Litton was named captain for the tournament, but Bangladesh refused to travel to India and were replaced by Scotland, missing a T20 World Cup for the first time.

Update: this article was first published on 4 May 2025, when Litton was appointed. It has been updated with what happened next.

Why Was Litton Das Made Captain?

Litton earned the job after leading Bangladesh to a 3-0 T20I series win in the West Indies in December 2024 as stand-in captain. Off-spinner Mahedi Hasan was named his vice-captain, and Shanto stayed in the squad as a batter.

Litton Das as Captain: Timeline

May 2025Named T20I captain for series against the UAE and Pakistan.

Mid-2025Led Bangladesh to T20I series wins over Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the Netherlands.

September 2025Captained Bangladesh at the Asia Cup in the UAE.

January 2026Named captain of Bangladesh’s 15-man T20 World Cup squad.

24 January 2026After the BCB refused to play in India, citing security concerns, and the ICC declined to move their games, Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland.

July 2026Also named Bangladesh’s ODI captain.

Did Bangladesh Play the 2026 T20 World Cup?

No. Bangladesh withdrew from the 2026 T20 World Cup and were replaced by Scotland, the first T20 World Cup without them since the event began in 2007.

The dispute: the BCB asked the ICC to move Bangladesh’s matches from India to co-host Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. The ICC said it found no credible threat and that changing venues so late was not feasible.
The deadline: when the BCB did not confirm participation within the ICC’s 24-hour deadline, Scotland, the next-highest ranked team, took Bangladesh’s place in Group C.
Litton’s view: he later said the players were not consulted before the decision.
The result: India went on to win the tournament, beating New Zealand in the final.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Bangladesh’s T20I captain?

Litton Das, appointed in May 2025. He was also named ODI captain in July 2026.

Why did Bangladesh not play the 2026 T20 World Cup?

The BCB refused to play its matches in India, citing security concerns, and the ICC declined to move them, so Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland in January 2026.