Bangladesh pace bowling coach Shaun Tait addressed the media ahead of the third and decisive T20 against Ireland. Representing the team, Tait faced questions about squad selection but avoided commenting on most of them, emphasising that he is not involved in choosing the playing eleven.
The series is currently tied at 1-1, setting up a crucial clash on Tuesday at Chattogram’s Bir Sreshtho Shaheed Lt. Matiur Rahman Stadium. This fixture marks Bangladesh’s last bilateral T20 before the T20 World Cup scheduled for February.
The series also provided a final opportunity for the coaching staff to assess team combinations and experiment with potential World Cup options. Mahidul Islam was included in the squad for the first two matches in place of Shakib Hossain but did not make it into either playing eleven. Ahead of the final T20, Shakib has been reinstated while Mahidul remains in the squad.
When pressed on Mahidul’s exclusion, Tait said: “I’m not a selector. You should ask those responsible for picking the team.”
The focus for Bangladesh players will then shift to the Bangladesh Premier League, which starts in late December and wraps up shortly before the World Cup. Tait believes that the BPL, combined with warm-up matches, will provide crucial preparation for the tournament.
Acknowledging the potential risk of injuries in a month-long league, he added: “I’m not afraid of injuries; that’s beyond my control. What matters is that players get competitive match practice ahead of the World Cup. My responsibility is limited to ensuring that our pace bowlers are fully prepared.”