The 2018 edition of Asia Cup will be hosted by UAE and will begin from September 15, 2018.

The tournament will be played in 50-over format and will see defending champions India take on Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan along with one qualifying team from the qualifiers that are currently going on.

Bangladesh has never won the Asia Cup but has been finalists twice in 2012 and 2016 losing to Pakistan and India respectively.

This year, however, they will kick off the tournament with a match against Sri Lanka on September 15.

The Bangladesh selectors have announced the 15-man squad for the tournament and it will be led by Mashrafe Mortaza with Shakib Al Hasan as vice-captain. The squad also sees the likes of Ariful Haque, Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Islam and Abu Haider Rony in place of Anamul Haque, Abu Jayed, and Sabbir Rahman, who has been allegedly left out on disciplinary grounds after he landed himself in hot water for reportedly abusing a fan on social media.

A big boost came for Bangladesh when Shakib made himself available for the tournament, postponing his surgery on the finger.

Bangladesh squad for Asia Cup 2018:
Mashrafe Mortaza (C), Shakib Al Hasan (VC), Tamim Iqbal, Md Mithun, Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Ariful Haque, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Nazmul Islam Apu, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Haider Rony

(with inputs from Cricbuzz.com)