New Delhi [India] May 17 (ANI): A new era is on the horizon for Bangladesh as they lay the groundwork for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which began with the appointment of Litton Das as T20I captain, according to an official statement from the ICC.

Bangladesh will initially participate in two T20Is against the UAE in Sharjah on May 17 and 19. Following that, they will depart for Pakistan to engage in a five-match T20I series that starts on May 25. The series will wrap up on June 3.

On May 4, wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das was officially named as Bangladesh's T20I captain, while offspinner Mahedi Hasan has been appointed as his vice-captain for the seven away T20Is against UAE and Pakistan in May-June 2025.

Litton takes over from Najmul Hossain Shanto in the position after the 26-year-old stepped down as Bangladesh's T20I captain earlier this year.

Ahead of his first assignment, the 30-year-old laid out a clear and pragmatic vision for the team, focused not on a rigid style but on adapting to match situations.

'I am not going to talk about a particular brand of cricket. We might need to chase 180-200 in some games, and 140-145 in other games. The ultimate goal is to win the game,' Litton Das said as quoted by ICC.

The new skipper of the Tigers emphasised flexibility and match awareness, stressing the fact that a batter's role could change on a game-to-game basis.

'A batter might need to score 40 off 20 balls in one game, and 15 off 20 in the next game. I want every player to be involved in the game.'

'What the team needs from me is what the players must understand. It is more important for the player to know how to win a game, rather than stick to a brand of cricket.'

'For the Bangladesh team to go ahead, the players have to perform. They have to play their specific roles. I have to communicate well with the players. The more time I get, the more I'll get involved in team matters.'

Litton has the full backing as he leads Bangladesh into a new era of T20I cricket. Ahead of the team's departure to the UAE, assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin was full of praise for the newly appointed skipper.

'I think Litton has all the ingredients of a good captain, ' Salahuddin said. 'He can motivate the players. He is good with strategy. He is trying to take it forward. I think he will do well if allowed to work independently. You can't just make a leader.'

'We must realise that he is the captain of Bangladesh, which for us stands for the whole country. Leading Bangladesh is a very difficult job, although it may seem easy from the outside.'

Bangladesh have a busy schedule in the lead-up to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, with series lined up against the UAE, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India as they build towards the marquee event. (ANI)