Bangladesh cricketer Rubel Hossain

Bangladesh cricketer Rubel Hossain Photo: Photosport

Bangladesh is considered one of the outsiders in the World Cup.

Playing at home they can beat the best, but in New Zealand and Australian conditions they may struggle.

Bangladesh co-hosted the tournament in 2011, alongside India and Sri Lanka.

They qualified for their first World Cup in 1999. Though they failed to advance from pool play, they did manage to upset Pakistan in a game.

Since then their best result has been making the Super Eight stage in 2007.

Bangladesh are in pool A and they have two key matches against Afghanistan and Scotland. However, they'll probably have to also beat one of either Australia, England, Sri Lanka or New Zealand to qualify for the quarterfinals.

Bangladesh beat New Zealand at home in a one-day series in 2013, but since then their record hasn't been great.

Bangledesh has a young side at the tournament, but the squad still has around 850 caps in total and they're led by skipper Mashrafe Mortaza.

They've prepared at home in their national competition and at a camp in Queensland. While they haven't had much international competition in recent months, their coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, feels it will leave the team fresher than other sides.

Key players: All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, captain and wicket-keeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim, fast bowler Rubel Hossain.

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Taskin Ahmed, Al-Amin Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Taijul Islam.

Draw:
February 18th: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, Manuka Oval, Canberra.
February 21st: Bangladesh vs Australia, The Gabba, Brisbane.
February 26th: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne.
March 5th: Bangladesh vs Scotland, Saxton Oval, Nelson.
March 9th: Bangladesh vs England, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide.
March 13th: Bangladesh vs New Zealand, Seddon Park, Hamilton.