Nahid Rana receives late call-up to T20 squad ahead of West Indies series

On Sunday, just a day before Bangladesh's first T20I against the West Indies, pacer Nahid Rana was unexpectedly called up to the squad.

The 15-man squad had been announced five days earlier, but Rana, who has been in exceptional form, was initially left out.

The surprise call-up was confirmed through a Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announcement on Sunday, making it a dramatic twist for the young bowler.

Although Rana had already represented Bangladesh in Tests and ODIs, this marks his first inclusion in the T20I squad. It was only during the ODI series that coach Phil Simmons had hinted at bringing the 22-year-old into the T20 fold, so his exclusion when the initial squad was named came as a surprise to many. The much-anticipated call-up, however, has now materialised.

If all goes according to plan, Nahid is set to make his T20 debut in the first match of the series. The pacer, who has played six Tests and three ODIs, has been impressive in both formats.

In ODIs, he has claimed four wickets in three matches at an average of 31, while in Tests, he has taken 20 wickets in six appearances.

However, his most notable attribute is his pace, which has made him Bangladesh's fastest bowler in international cricket, despite his relatively limited exposure in nine international matches.

At present, Bangladesh is in Saint Vincent, preparing for a three-match T20 series against the West Indies, with the first match scheduled to take place at 6 AM tomorrow.

Bangladesh squad for the T20 series against the West Indies: Litton Kumar Das (captain), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Imon, Afif Hossain, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Zakir Ali Anik, Shamim Hossain Patowary, Sheikh Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mohammad Hasan Mahmud, Ripon Mondal, Nahid Rana.