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Test 1 | World Test Championship | Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur | 28 October 2026
Bangladesh will most likely send out the batting six that drew with Afghanistan, and only Litton Das is a genuine question mark. Shanto captains a fifteen-man party named on 23 October for the Mirpur opener on 28 October. A hip tendon problem has kept Litton away from keeping drills, so Jaker Ali is on standby. The selectors added no new faces, which suggests little appetite for experiments against opponents who have won 15 of the 22 Tests between these sides.
The order that finished the Abu Dhabi draw on 9 October offers the clearest guide. Shadman Islam and Tanzid Hasan opened, Mominul Haque batted three, Shanto four and Mushfiqur Rahim five. Nothing in the squad hints at a reshuffle, because the selectors picked no new faces and dropped only Soumya and Khaled.
Experience anchors the group. Mushfiqur has played 105 Tests and scored 6,876 runs at 39.06, while Mominul has 5,219 runs from 80 matches at 37.81. Shanto averages 34.14 across 43 Tests, and Shadman, with 1,565 runs at 28.45 from 31 Tests, carries the lowest average of the regular six. That spread of averages describes a batting group built on patience rather than flair.
My projected eleven keeps those six, adds Mehidy Miraz at seven and trusts three spinners, Mehidy, Nayeem Hasan and Taijul Islam, to carry the attack. That mirrors the combination used in Abu Dhabi, where Hasan Mahmud and Ebadot Hossain handled the pace duties. Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam are in the party too, which makes the pace berths the real contest.
The table below lines up the whole squad against likely batting positions, with Tawhid Hridoy and Jaker as cover for the middle order. Nobody has confirmed an eleven, so treat this as an informed projection rather than a team sheet.
| Player | Role | Batting order |
| Shadman Islam | Opener | 1 |
| Tanzid Hasan | Opener | 2 |
| Mominul Haque | Batter | 3 |
| Najmul Shanto (c) | Batter | 4 |
| Mushfiqur Rahim | Batter | 5 |
| Litton Das | Wicketkeeper-batter | 6 |
| Tawhid Hridoy | Batter | Backup |
| Jaker Ali | Wicketkeeper-batter | Lower middle |
| Mehidy Miraz | All-rounder | Lower middle |
| Nayeem Hasan | Spinner | Tail |
| Taijul Islam | Spinner | Tail |
| Hasan Mahmud | Pacer | Tail |
| Ebadot Hossain | Pacer | Tail |
| Taskin Ahmed | Pacer | Tail |
| Shoriful Islam | Pacer | Tail |
Litton is named but not cleared. He skipped the fitness test on 24 October, batted for about an hour in the nets the following day and did no work behind the stumps. One selector rated his chances at fifty-fifty, and the final call belongs to coaches, medics and senior board officials.
If he fails, Jaker takes the gloves, and his six Tests have yielded 337 runs at 30.63. Hridoy would come in as the extra batter. Litton’s record explains why Bangladesh will gamble: 3,511 runs at 36.19 from 57 Tests, plus 53 and 102 against Afghanistan. Management has also stressed that light training does not mean full fitness, a reminder that nobody is promising anything yet.
Mahmud took 5-55 in the Afghanistan draw, which strengthens his claim now that Nahid Rana is injured. Ebadot kept his place there as well, yet Taskin and Shoriful both offer sharper evidence. Shoriful took 7 for 48 against Australia, and Taskin returns to a group short of options. Four pacers chasing two places means someone good will miss out.
Spin looks settled. Taijul claimed 7 for 138 against Zimbabwe, and with Mehidy and Nayeem beside him, the hosts can cover a turning pitch without hunting for another tweaker. That leaves one pace place as the only argument worth having.
West Indies own a heavy history, winning 15 of 22 Tests against Bangladesh’s five, with two draws. The last series, in 2024, ended 1-1 after the visitors won by 201 runs and Bangladesh answered by 101. Recent results read draw, loss, win, loss, win, and Shanto’s century against Pakistan was the high point. Their last home series against this opponent, in 2021, ended in a 2-0 defeat.
Sorting through all of that, the Bangladesh vs West Indies WTC playing XI should look close to the Abu Dhabi group, with Litton’s fitness and one pace berth as the only live decisions. Anyone expecting a bold selection will be disappointed.
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Who is the Bangladesh captain for the first Test against West Indies?
Shanto captains Bangladesh in the opening Test at Mirpur on 28 October. He has scored 2,663 runs at 34.14 across 43 Tests, and the squad contains no new faces.
Is Litton Das fit for the first Test against West Indies?
Litton is in the squad, but his fitness is rated at fifty-fifty. He skipped the 24 October fitness test with a hip tendon problem and has not done keeping drills.
Who will keep wicket if Litton Das is unavailable?
Jaker Ali is the leading backup wicketkeeper. He has played six Tests, scoring 337 runs at an average of 30.63, and Hridoy is the extra batter option.
When did Bangladesh announce the squad for the West Indies Test?
Bangladesh named a fifteen-man squad on 23 October. Soumya and Khaled were left out, and Nahid Rana is missing through injury, so the group has no uncapped names.
What is the Test record between Bangladesh and West Indies?
West Indies have won 15 of 22 Tests, Bangladesh five, and two ended in a draw. Their last series, in 2024, finished 1-1, with wins by 201 runs and 101 runs.
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