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Fifteen-year-old legspinner Shaquana Quintyne has been included in West Indies Women’s 14-woman squad for their home one-day series against Pakistan that starts later this month

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Aug-2011Two uncapped players from Barbados – Shaquana Quintyne, a 15-year-old legspinner, and Kycia Knight, a 19-year-old wicketkeeper – have been included in West Indies’ women’s squad for their home one-day series against Pakistan that starts later this month.The two players impressed for Barbados during the recently-completed WICB Women’s Championships. Knight also plays football for Barbados. The other twelve players were all part of the squad for the tour of India early in the year.The team will be led by Merissa Aguilleira, who was one of six women cricketers given a central contract by the WICB last year. The other five players – allrounders Stafanie Taylor, Stacy-Ann King and Shanel Daley, batsman Deandra Dottin, and offspinner Anisa Mohammed – are also part of the squad for the four ODIs against Pakistan. The first match is on August 28.West Indies Women’s squad: Merissa Aguilleira (capt & wk), Shemaine Campbelle, Britney Cooper, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Pearl Etienne, Stacy-Ann King, Kycia Knight, Anisa Mohamed, Juliana Nero, Shaquana Quintyne, Shakera Selman, Tremayne Smartt, Stafanie Taylor

Zaheer Khan, the India seamer who returned to competitive cricket this week after an ankle surgery, has said he feels fit and his recovery is ahead of schedule

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Dec-2011Zaheer Khan, the India seamer who returned to competitive cricket this week after an ankle surgery, has said he feels fit and his recovery is ahead of schedule.”Physically, I am feeling fine,” Zaheer told . “Bowling-wise, I need to get the rhythm going. I am feeling a bit tired after the match [Mumbai v Orissa], which is a good thing because it means I have put in the effort.”It’s looking good, everything is on track, probably a week ahead of schedule. Everyone is happy, the physios are happy and I am also happy. The next game is crucial for me. After playing it, I will see how I feel.”Zaheer was out with injury between August and November. He had injured his right hamstring on the first day of the England-India Test series this summer, following which a recurring ankle injury forced him to have surgery. He was then provisionally selected for the tour of Australia, the condition being that he prove his fitness in the Ranji Trophy.Subsequently, he played Mumbai’s match against Orissa from November 29, bowling 22 overs in the match for four wickets. “Since I haven’t played a single game for four months, the main thing I was looking for was to get back in that environment, spending time on the field, as we have to in Test matches.”In that way this was perfect, I got to bowl a spell on the first day and then I again got to bowl 16 overs. So in one-and-a-half day I managed to bowl 22 overs, which is an exact simulation of a Test match.”Zaheer will play Mumbai’s next game, against Saurashtra from December 6. Some of India’s Test specialists are scheduled to leave early for Australia, to allow them extra time to acclimatise, but Zaheer said he had chosen to play the extra Ranji Trophy match. “I would prefer to play a match. That is what I have conveyed [to the BCCI].”

When asked by a columnist who had scathingly criticised him in the past what his maiden double-ton would mean in the long run, Michael Clarke said he hoped it would earn him respect

Daniel Brettig at the SCG04-Jan-2012With 251 not out next to his name, and a match-defining partnership of 288 alongside Ricky Ponting in his pocket, Michael Clarke was given a moment to savour at the press conference after a landmark day for his Australian team. Standing to one side in the room was a columnist who had written derisively of Clarke in the past. His criticism of Clarke peaked in late 2009 with the following line: “His problem is a little more delicate. Michael Clarke is a tosser. Or, to give him an out clause, he to be a tosser.”When the juncture arrived for the author of that line to pose a question, he asked Clarke about what an innings like this would do for him in the “big picture”. A voracious reader of the press and now a columnist himself, Clarke knew whom he was speaking to. His response carried a pointed word.”Hopefully, it helps me continue to earn ,” Clarke said. “That’s all I can do, and most importantly that helps me put this team in a position to win another Test match. That’s our goal; that’s my goal – to help Australia win as many games as we can.”One of the things Punter [Ricky Ponting] taught me before I got the captaincy was as a leader you need to make sure you’re standing up on the field; make sure you’re leading from the front and scoring runs, and that’s what I’ve tried to do since taking over the captaincy.”Respect is something Clarke has had to battle hard to gain, but he is now earning it in vast swathes with nimble captaincy and batting of increasing presence. He began the second day at the SCG as the recipient of ‘s Alan McGilvray award for Australia’s cricketer of the year. The honour came as no surprise to anyone who had seen him lead a young team through its regeneration after Ponting gave up the captaincy following failed Ashes and World Cup campaigns.The SCG crowd stood to applaud Michael Clarke’s hundred•Getty Images”We’re a team that’s learning,” Clarke said. “Young guys are getting a bit of experience and working out that winning Test matches is hard work. There’s a really good feeling within the team but that’s obviously because we’re getting a bit of success.”Our preparation couldn’t be better, we just need to keep building on that consistency, continuing to do our work; and when you get chances in a game you’ve got to grab them with both hands. If India get on top of you, they’re a really hard team to stop, so we’ve got to make sure that when we’ve got momentum we keep the ball rolling.”So far in Sydney, Clarke’s team have demonstrated how much they are learning, against an Indian side that can only hope for a merciful declaration on the third day. Mindful of how the pitch had evolved from sporting on the first day to friendly on the second, Clarke said he would focus on getting quick runs and giving his bowlers maximum time to bowl the visitors out a second time.”The track has flattened out a lot compared to day one, so the most important thing for us is making sure there’s enough time left in the game to give ourselves a chance to bowl India out. I think we need to bat well tomorrow morning to set the game up. We’re a long way from being 2-0 up, a lot of hard work needs to go in, but we’re in a really good position.”As befits a captain in the middle of a Test, Clarke was more reticent to speak about his own unfinished innings, coruscating as it has been. He has the painful memory of Cape Town last year, when a sparkling innings was overshadowed by a harrowing defeat, to remind him against triumphalism.”It’s my highest score ever, I don’t really know [if it is my best innings],” he said. “I was really proud of the 151 against South Africa; it came in really tough circumstances and that pitch did a lot more than this pitch did. But what makes me proud is I batted the whole day today.”That’s something I’ve always tried to do and haven’t done very often, so that’s very satisfying to bat a full day. It’s fantastic to have a score beside my name like I do, but as I’ve seen in the past if you don’t win the Test match, it means nothing.”At 251, Clarke has a galaxy of further batting milestones ahead to chase, but he is not thinking too much about them. On debut in Bangalore in 2004 he had been so concerned with mythology that he called for his baggy green cap to reach three figures in, even though India’s fast bowlers were on. This time, he said, there would be no such request if he went past 300.”I think I was a bit silly back then as a kid. I’ll be keeping my helmet on if the fast bowlers are on.”Respected and respectful, Clarke has come a long way. He can rightly expect to never again be the subject of words so unkind.

Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier will have offers from several top clubs in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Beren Cross, with the journalist revealing in a recent Q&A on Leeds Live that, should Jesse Marsch’s side suffer relegation to the Championship this season, it would be difficult to imagine the France U21 international not being made several offers from clubs in Ligue 1, LaLiga and the Bundesliga this summer.

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In response to a question regarding the future of the goalkeeper, Cross said: “Meslier would see some value in continuing to be a first-choice goalkeeper, but it’s hard to imagine he would not get offers to play in the top flights of France, Spain or Germany.”

Marsch would be gutted

Considering just how exciting a prospect Meslier quite clearly is, should the 22-year-old indeed move onto pastures new following the Whites’ potential relegation to the second tier this summer, it would undoubtedly come as a gutting blow to Marsch and his side.

Indeed, over his 35 Premier League appearances last season, the £42.5m-rated shot-stopper was in breathtaking form, keeping 11 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 4.0 saves – the second-most in the league – and 0.3 successful runs out per game – with these returns seeing the Frenchman average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.13, ranking him as the Whites’ fourth-best performer in the top flight.

And, despite the Whites’ struggles this term, the £41k-per-week ‘keeper has still performed extremely admirably over his 34 league outings, making an average of 3.7 saves – the joint-most in the division – and 0.6 successful runs out per fixture – with these metrics seeing the 22-year-old average a SofaScore match rating of 6.89, ranking him as Marsch’s fifth-best player in the Premier League.

As such, considering his tender age, undoubted ability and potential for future development, it is clear for all to see that losing the services of Meslier this summer would be a disaster for the Whites – yet another reason as to why Marsch must do everything he can to beat the drop this season.

AND in other news: Sources: Orta eyeing Leeds bid for £19.8m-rated ace, he’s like “Messi inside the area”

ESPNcricinfo previews Canada’s chances in the 2011 World Cup

Faraz Sarwat12-Feb-2011Canada deserve to be in this World Cup. They earned their place through a daunting qualifying tournament in 2009 where they were runners-up to Ireland, and made sure that upstarts Afghanistan were kept in check. The Canadian team proved that it knew how to win in difficult circumstances and moreover showed the promise of being equipped to deal with sterner challenges. The pity is that Canada have not selected key members of that battle-hardened team that got them into this tournament.The official line is that Canada are aiming for a quarter-final spot and that this will be Canada’s best ever showing in a World Cup. It is good to have goals, but one can’t help but get the feeling that the line has been crossed between healthy ambition and outright delusion. Thrusting five players from the Under-19 team into the World Cup squad was wholly unnecessary and puts a lot of pressure on the experienced players. That is not to say that the young players are not talented. One or two of them deserved to make the 15-man squad, but the rest simply aren’t ready. The veteran players like John Davison and Ashish Bagai know this and will concede it in private, but they now have their game-face on and will be doing their best to keep the vibe positive and the performance respectable.World Cup Pedigree
This will be Canada’s fourth World Cup. In 2003, Canada, playing their first World Cup in 24 years, made a grand return to the tournament by beating full-member country Bangladesh. And while the team saw some awful depths too (36 all out against Sri Lanka), John Davison played one of the great knocks in World Cup history with a magical 76-ball 111 against West Indies. In 2007, Davison led a significantly stronger team to the World Cup, but the format did not allow the team to flourish, and after three quick losses it was sent packing.Recent Form
Not good. In a recent Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies, Canada pulled off a comfortable win against Hampshire, before losing their next three games. A two-match ODI series at home last summer against Ireland was split at one game apiece.Expert Eye
Sunil Dhaniram: Canada must open the batting with Davison. He’s got to be up at the top where he’s been successful for Canada. Generally the batting lacks toughness and there will be pressure on Bagai in the middle-order. The young players must realise that the full-member countries will show no mercy – they will want to win early and get off the field. So Canada will need to show toughness. In the bowling, Henry Osinde is the key. He needs to see bounce in his first over and if he gets a wicket he’ll be fired up for the rest of the match, but if he gets stick early on, we’re done. Canada’s best chance of victory lies against Kenya, but only if they can get Steve Tikolo and Thomas Odoyo out cheaply.Where they are likely to finish
In the bottom three of Group A, if not dead last.Watchability
Canada will be a fascinating team to watch. Whoever Canada play, there will be runs and wickets galore. The Canadians are not shy about trying to play their shots and if the ball is there to be hit they go for it. In fact they will even try to hit balls that should be left well alone. Most of the batsmen are attacking in nature, but two are exceptionally good at it – and if one or both of Davison and Rizwan Cheema get set at the crease, it will be highly entertaining. The new-ball bowlers, Osinde and Khurram Chohan are only in it for wickets, and that has its own charm.Players in Focus
Davison’s return to Canada has been an unhappy one. He walked away from the team when the 30-man squad was announced, upset at the manner in which important and experienced players Ian Bilcliff and Geoff Barnett were excluded. Davison is a pro and will be focussed on the task at hand, but knowing that the team could have been stronger will no doubt irk him. Canada will depend on him for runs at a healthy strike-rate, and when he bowls he will be expected to keep things under control. His legacy as a World Cup hero is secure courtesy of his exploits in 2003 as well as scintillating half-centuries against New Zealand in that same tournament and in 2007. At 40, this is his last World Cup and he will want to leave his mark.This tournament is important for Cheema who has endured something of a lean patch of late. He started his career in 2008 with a bang, quickly building a reputation as someone who could take on world-class bowlers and win. He loves the spotlight and is chomping at the bit to play on batting tracks against the world’s best bowlers. If Cheema comes off, it will be a respectable day for Canada.Ruvindu Gunasekera is the most promising of Canada’s younger players. He deserves his spot in the World Cup team and has a taste of success having scored two solid fifties in back-to-back ODIs against Ireland at home. He will be keen to test his mettle against stronger teams, and a good showing at the tournament will cement his place in the team.

VVS Laxman says anything above 250 will be a good total since he expects the Kingsmead pitch not to flatten out the way the one in Centurion did

Sidharth Monga at Kingsmead26-Dec-2010Just one cursory look at the scorecard is enough to leave India disappointed. And no, it’s not the final score of 183 for 6 that they will rue that much. The genesis of their regret lies in individual scores. On a day that perhaps every batsman applied himself better than he did in similar – if not slightly less testing – conditions in Centurion, not one batsman fell for a single-figure score, and yet nobody crossed 38.It could be a positive sign for them too, in that the conditions seem to be such that nobody can ever feel settled in here, but it will be premature to arrive at that conclusion. Legend has it that when the sun beats down on the Kingsmead pitch, it becomes a flat belter. Going by how South Africa have got every small thing right at the right moments over the six days of this series – the bowling, the batting, the freak catches, the tosses – who will bet against a gloriously sunny day when their turn to bat comes? Which is why, although India are one handy partnership away from what seems a par score in day-one conditions, VVS Laxman, who looked in as much control as was possible with the ball seaming around, was left dissatisfied.”The bowlers are always going to be in with a chance because this is one of those wickets,” Laxman said. “Having said that, it would have been ideal if one of the batsmen had carried on and remained unbeaten on 60 or 70 at the end of the day. All of us got starts but were not able to convert that into a big score. That was a bit disappointing.”Laxman suggested that the pitch, in terms of bounce and pace, was truer, but he didn’t expect it to flatten out as the one in Centurion did. “The wicket here is much quicker and the bounce is also more. The Centurion wicket was soft and slow. I think the conditions will remain the same at least for three days here. In Centurion, because of the heat, the wicket really eased out.”The conditions, though, are not in India’s hands. Nor is the toss for that matter. India have now won just one out of their last 15, and Laxman admitted it would have been a good toss to win. “When you’re playing international cricket you have to take whatever challenge comes your way. It would have been great to have bowled first on this wicket. But the toss is something you cannot control.”Every batsman in the top order showed the restraint and application to face up to the challenge in front of him, but they all found ways to not convert those starts. India could certainly have avoided giving Lonwabo Tsotsobe his two wickets. Sachin Tendulkar and Cheteshwar Pujara made mistakes on the day. Tendulkar pushed away from the body without intent, and Pujara hooked unconvincingly. Laxman, who was out to an incredible catch that Tsotsobe produced at straight midwicket, said the quick wickets of Rahul Dravid and him were a turning point. .”It would have been ideal [to have lost two wickets fewer], Rahul and I were out in quick succession. It was important that both of us carried on our partnership. That would have put a lot of pressure on the South African bowlers and the team.”I think how we start tomorrow will be very important. Anything above 250 will be a good score, assuming the conditions remain the same.”Laxman said he had enough confidence in the lower order to take them to a fighting total. “I’m sure they will give their best, because, as I’ve always mentioned, they take a lot of pride in their batting. Over the years, all of them have delivered for as at the right moment – as recently as the New Zealand series where Bhaji made two brilliant centuries and put us right on top. I’m sure the lower order will contribute, work really hard and not throw away their wickets.”

In a final that was tight until the last two overs, Sialkot’s score of 180 proved a little too much for Rawalpindi to chase at the National Stadium in Karachi

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIn a final that was tight until the last two overs, Sialkot’s 180 proved a little too much for Rawalpindi to chase at the National Stadium in Karachi, and Sialkot won the Faysal Bank T20 Cup for the sixth time. Almost all Sialkot’s top-order batsmen contributed to their imposing total. The decisive over was the 19th in Rawalpindi’s chase, in which Raza Hasan conceded just four runs and took two wickets, to swing the match Sialkot’s way.Sialkot chose to bat on a pitch that produced high scores through the tournament and made a quick start. Imran Nazir and Shakeel Ansar looted 13 runs off Soahil Tanvir’s first over, and after Nazir departed Ansar and Qaiser Abbas put together 85 for the second wicket. Rawalpindi’s bowlers bowled full lengths, and Qaiser timed his drives sweetly. The pair took the score to 100 for 1 in the 12th over, but both batsmen fell in the space of five balls, to Awais Zia’s part-time offspin. Both went attempting big shots: Qaiser was stumped after charging down the track and Ansar chipped in the air to deep midwicket.That brought Shoaib Malik and Shahid Yousuf together, fresh from a 127-run stand in the semi-finals against Lahore. Yousuf hit the first three balls of Zia’s next over into the off side for fours, and Malik continued the form he was in during his 88 not out against Lahore. Rawalpindi did well to concede just 10 runs off the last two overs, but 180 was a tough total to chase.The chase got off to an explosive start, with Zia smacking five fours in the first over, and two sixes in the second. Zia’s innings was cut short on 32 off 13 balls, when he swept Hasan to deep square leg. While other bowlers struggled to concede fewer than seven runs an over, Hasan had figures of 4-0-11-2. He choked the runs by varying the flight and lengths of his deliveries while maintaining a tight line.The rest of Sialkot’s bowlers weren’t as accurate and Rawalpindi’s opener Naved Malik picked his moments to attack. Rawalpindi managed to stay abreast of the required-rate for most of the chase but lost wickets regularly. When Naved was caught at deep midwicket for 67, Rawalpindi needed 36 off 23 balls with five wickets in hand. In the 17th over, Hammad Azam smashed a six over long-on and lofted over extra-cover for four off consecutive balls. Nineteen were required off the last two overs, but it was Hasan that had had the final say, bowling a tight over to ensure a Sialkot win.

A blistering opening partnership between Robin Uthappa and S Anirudha set up an impressive win for India Green against India Blue in Nagpur

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo: Robin Uthappa struck a blistering ton and was involved in a double-century opening stand•Sivaraman Kitta/K SivaramanA blistering opening partnership between Robin Uthappa and S Anirudha set up an impressive win for India Green against India Blue in Nagpur, and secured their place in the final of the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy. India Green were asked to bat first once again, however, this time they made better use of the fine platform laid by their openers and piled up 348 for 9 in their 50 overs to all but shut India Blue out of the match at the halfway stage.Uthappa carried his form from the first match into this game, launching his aggressive knock with a lofted four to long-off and a well-executed pull off Irfan Pathan. Anirudha played the support role in the pair’s century stand in the previous game, but here he matched Uthappa shot for shot. He struck Irfan for two boundaries as well, before depositing a short ball on the leg stump from Pradeep Sangwan beyond long-on.The pair was aided by some wayward bowling from Irfan early on, as he repeatedly strayed on to the pads in an attempt to get the ball to swing in. India Blue captain S Badrinath tried to stem the flow of runs by bringing on Amit Mishra in the fifth over, but Uthappa and Anirudha continued to pick up fours and sixes at will. After the openers pummelled 34 runs off two overs, India Green had raced to 86 after eight. Unlike against India Red though, they did not waste their fine starts and pushed on to centuries, bringing the 200 up as early as the 23rd over.The bowlers finally found some relief after Uthappa retired. Mohammad Kaif struggled to keep the momentum going before rushing down the track and playing down the wrong line to hand Mishra his first wicket. Anirudha gifted his wicket away, lofting a full toss on the leg stump to midwicket off part-timer M Vijay. Uthappa returned after India Green lost Mohnish Mishra and Ishank Jaggi in quick succession, but could not match his early tempo, striking just one more four before P Parameswaran had him bowled. Sangwan claimed wickets late in the innings as the batsmen looked for quick runs, to finish with 4 for 58 form his ten.India Blue, who needed to win to make the final, made a poor start in the chase as Tanmay Srivastava edged behind off left-arm medium pacer Samad Fallah, with CM Gautham completing a spectacular diving catch. Vijay and Saurabh Tiwary did not let the asking-rate get out of reach though, in an 87-run stand for the second wicket at better than a run-a-ball. After Vijay fell, beaten by Iqbal Abdulla’s turn, Dinesh Karthik provided Tiwary with adequate support. The pair added 48 before Tiwary hit straight to Jaggi at long-off, cutting short his promising innings of 74 off 70. India Blue had one last go at the target through Karthik and Manish Pandey, before Karthik was adjudged lbw off Abhimanyu Mithun for 49.From then on, wickets fell at regular intervals and the required rate soared, and India Green closed out the game in the 42nd over courtesy a fine tumbling catch by Kaif to get rid of Sangwan. Badrinath, who had gone off the field during the first drinks break of the India Green innings, did not bat. Uthappa was named Man of the Match.India Green will play India Red in the final on Thursday at the same venue.

West Ham United are reportedly interested in a deal for Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile, according to the latest reports…

What’s the word?

As per Calciomercatio, the Hammers are believed to be one of the clubs keeping an eye on the 21-year-old, with Serie A giants Juventus and Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund also credited with an interest in the Frenchman.

Previous reports have suggested the 6 foot 4 colossus could be available for a fee in the region of £33m, with two years still to run on his existing deal at Stade Louis II, making him an attractive option in the upcoming window.

The France U21 international had seemingly come close to a Premier League switch in January, with Newcastle United heavily linked with securing his services, albeit with the St James’ park outfit eventually settling on a move for Brighton’s Dan Burn.

Ogbonna Upgrade

With a top-four place still potentially within their grasp and with a Europa League semi-final clash on the horizon, things are currently going swimmingly for David Moyes’ side, with the Scotsman having worked wonders since the start of his second stint in charge.

Much of the former Manchester United manager’s success has been in recruitment, with the 58-year-old continually making astute moves in the market after a scattergun approach under his predecessor Manuel Pellegrini.

In Badiashile, the Hammers boss could well have found his next perfect acquisition, with the youngster having previously been dubbed a “great talent” by Monaco vice president Oleg Petrov, following his eye-catching displays for the Ligue 1 outfit.

As evidenced by his soaring market valuation – the £14k-per-week star having seen his value rise from £135k to £25.2m in the space of just three years – the starlet is only seemingly going to keep progressing in the coming years.

At just 21, he also represents an ideal and timely replacement for current first-team favourite Angelo Ogbonna, with the Italian central defender set to turn 34 at the end of May and with possible doubts over what his level will be once he returns from his long-term absence.

Both left-footed and of similar build – with the more senior man marginally shorter at 6 foot 3 – the two have very similar playing styles, making the younger man a potentially ideal replacement for the long-serving veteran.

Equally, there is also evidence to suggest that the potential new arrival is already outperforming the one-time Torino man.

In the 11 games the current West Ham man has played in the top-flight this season, he has averaged just one interception and 0.6 tackles per game, as per SofaScore, while by contrast, Badiashile has registered 1.1 interceptions and 1.4 tackles per 90, in his 19 league outings.

Even in his youth, the Limoges-born star already offers a wealth of experience, having already made 114 appearances for his current side – chipping in with three goals and three assists in that time – since making his senior debut back in 2018.

With just three clean sheets to his name this season and a fairly meagre 6.93 match rating, as per SofaScore, in the French top-flight, there is obvious room for improvement, although Moyes has already shown he can coax the best out of those at his disposal.

AND in other news, Time to go: Moyes must ruthlessly axe WHU’s £61k-p/w “monster” as big claim emerges…

There were no major surprises in Bangladesh’s provisional 30-man squad for the World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2010Bangladesh have announced their preliminary squad for the World Cup, and there were no major surprises in the 30-man pool. They have included allrounder Alok Kapali, who last played international cricket in 2008 before defecting to the ICL, and 21-year-old fast bowler Dolar Mahmud, who has not played for Bangladesh since October 2009.With 65 caps, Kapali is an experienced player, but was erratic in his six years of international cricket, averaging 19.83 with the bat and 49.75 with his legspinners, before becoming part of the exodus to the ICL. It was that exodus that opened the doors for Mahmud to made his international debut, though he couldn’t cement his place in the limited opportunities he got.Bangladesh are riding high after two series wins on the trot – a 4-0 drubbing of New Zealand in October and a 3-1 victory over Zimbabwe in a series which ended on Sunday. They have no further international matches scheduled before February 19, when the global tournament starts.Sri Lanka were the first team to announce their preliminary squad, doing so on December 13. All 14 teams participating in the tournament have to announce their preliminary line-ups by December 19, and zero in on the final fifteen before January 19 next year.Preliminary Squad: Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Ashraful, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Roqibul Hassan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Nazmul Hossain, Naeem Islam, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Abdur Razzak, Suhrawadi Shuvo, Shahriar Nafees, Nazimuddin, Shamsur Rahman, Jahirul Islam, Sahagir Hossain, Syed Rasel, Shahadat Hossain, Mahbubul Alam, Dolar Mahmud, Mithun Ali, Nasir Hossain, Shuvogoto Chowdhury, Shabbir Rahman, Alok Kapali, Enamul Haque Jr.