Bangladesh will have a final chance to prepare for their T20 World Cup campaign in a three-match series against the USA, starting tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Prairie View Cricket Complex in Houston, Texas. The first match kicks off at 9 pm Bangladesh Time. All matches of the series will be held at this venue, with subsequent games on May 23 and 25. Additionally, an official warm-up game is scheduled for May 28, marking a total of four encounters between the two teams before the tournament proper.

This series carries historical significance as it marks the first time Bangladesh and the USA will face each other in a T20 International. Since their inaugural T20I in 2006, Bangladesh has played against 20 different teams, with the USA being the 21st.

The USA team, composed mainly of players of Indian origin, features notable cricketer Corey Anderson. Formerly a New Zealand player, Anderson held the record for the fastest ODI century before AB de Villiers surpassed him. He has since migrated to the USA and made his debut last month. Anderson has a history of performing well against Bangladesh, notably hitting 10 sixes in an unbeaten 41-ball 94 in a T20I in Mount Maunganui seven years ago. Another notable player is Ali Khan, a fast bowler with experience in leagues like the IPL, PSL, and BPL.

Despite these key players, Bangladesh enters the series as the favorite. They aim to address issues observed during their 4-1 T20 series win against Zimbabwe, particularly in powerplay batting and batting collapses. Their bowling has been strong, but they need to prepare for challenging opponents like South Africa and Sri Lanka in the group stage of the T20 World Cup, who excel in the powerplay.

Bangladesh all-rounder Mahedi Hasan emphasized the challenge of containing runs in the powerplay, crucial in T20s. The USA series provides an opportunity to refine their approach in this aspect.

Squads:
Bangladesh:
- Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain)
- Taskin Ahmed (Vice-Captain)
- Liton Das
- Soumya Sarkar
- Tanzid Hasan Tamim
- Shakib Al Hasan
- Towhid Hridoy
- Mahmudullah Riyad
- Jaker Ali Anik
- Tanvir Islam
- Mahedi Hasan
- Rishad Hossain
- Mustafizur Rahman
- Shoriful Islam
- Tanzim Hasan Sakib

Travelling Reserves:
- Afif Hossain
- Hasan Mahmud

USA:
- Monank Patel (Captain)
- Aaron Jones
- Andries Gous
- Corey Anderson
- Ali Khan
- Harmeet Singh
- Jessy Singh
- Milind Kumar
- Nisarg Patel
- Nitish Kumar
- Noshtush Kenjige
- Saurabh Nethralvakar
- Shadley Van Schalkwyk
- Steven Taylor
- Shayan Jahangir

Reserve Players:
- Gajanand Singh
- Juanoy Drysdale
- Yasir Mohammad

This series is crucial for both teams as they prepare for the T20 World Cup, with Bangladesh looking to fine-tune their strategy and the USA aiming to build momentum with strong performances.