T20 World Cup preview: Bangladesh

The squad: Salma Khatun (c), Rumana Ahmed (vc), Jahanara Alam, Shamima Sultana, Murshida Khatun, Ayesha Rahman, Nigar Sultana, Sanjida Islam, Khadija-Tul-Kubra, Panna Ghosh, Fargana Haque, Nahida Akter, Fahima Khatun, Ritu Moni and Sobhana Mostary

ICC T20 ranking: 9th

Form line (most recent first): WWLLLWWWWW

The 2018 result: Fifth in Group A

Best finish: Group stage

The big question:  How will Bangladesh fare in their first ever game against hosts and world No.1 side Australia? It’s an interesting sidenote that the teams have never met before, having been placed in separate groups at each of the past three tournaments. Salma Khatun’s side has come a long way in the past couple of years, however, defeating India twice in that period.

Player to watch: Wicketkeeper-bat Nigar Sultana is only 22 years old but she is already her country’s second most prolific scorer in T20Is, with 744 runs to her name. She scored a half-century against Pakistan last November and an unbeaten 29 against Sri Lanka earlier this year, while in December she struck her maiden international century – albeit against a Maldives team playing its first international tournament, but it would nonetheless have been a confidence-boosting display.

The X-Factor: Left-arm spinner Nahida Akter starred for Bangladesh at the T20 World Cup qualifiers last year, taking 10 wickets at 6.6 to help her team secure their place at the main event. She is just 19 years old but has been playing international cricket for more than four years, having made her debut in September 2015. In 38 matches she’s collected 49 wickets at 12.1, with the handy economy rate of 4.77.

Don't be surprised if: Bangladesh prove a stumbling block for one of the higher-ranked teams. Sri Lanka seem the obvious opponent given their poor run of form and Bangladesh will be desperate to prove themselves at this level given their improvement across the past few years. They have not registered a win at their past two tournaments, so this is a chance to break their drought.

The overall numbers

Team record: Matches: 71 | Won: 27| Lost: 44 | Tied: 0 | NR: 0

Highest total: 7-152 v Pakistan, Lahore 2019*

Lowest total (completed innings): 30 v Pakistan, Cox’s Bazar 2018

*against a team competing in this World Cup

The fixtures                                                              

February 24 v India, WACA Ground, 10pm AEDT

February 27 v Australia, Manuka Oval, 7pm AEDT

February 29 v New Zealand, Junction Oval, 11am AEDT

March 2 v Sri Lanka, Junction Oval, 11am AEDT