Darwin, 17 August 2026:
Bangladesh High Performance (HP) batter Irfaan Shukkur believes a blend of youth and experience can propel his side towards the title at the Top End T20 Series 2026 as the squad continued its preparations in Darwin for a second successive day.
The nine-team tournament will be played in Darwin from 21 to 30 August, with Bangladesh HP looking to build on their previous experiences in the competition.
Speaking to the media during the training session, Irfaan said the team’s objective was clear.
“Our main target is to become champions. We will try to advance match by match,” Irfaan said.
“We have come here to become champions every time. Once we were runners-up and once we exited in the first round.”
The 33-year-old left-handed batter and wicket-keeper believes the balance between experienced campaigners and emerging players gives Bangladesh HP a strong platform ahead of the tournament.
“Our team is made up of some seniors and some young talents. I think this combination can take us to the championship,” he said.
Irfaan also highlighted the importance of having experienced figures around the squad, saying the younger members were benefiting from their guidance.
“They will share their international experience with our team. They are helping us as young players and I hope our team will get a good result,” he said.
He particularly praised the influence of Riyad, who has been working closely with the players during the tour.
“He is guiding us well. Whenever we have any problem, we go to him. He comes to us and helps us,” Irfaan said.
The Bangladesh HP squad has also drawn inspiration from the recent performances of the Bangladesh national team, with Irfaan describing the mood within the group as highly positive.
“Our team is very energised. We have been boosted a lot,” he said. “I think our full team will get a big boost to play in the T20s.”
Born in Chittagong, Irfaan brings considerable domestic experience to the HP squad. He has played 99 first-class matches, scoring 4,088 runs, while accumulating 4,021 runs from 137 List A appearances. In T20 cricket, the left-hander has scored 1,035 runs from 69 matches.
With four days remaining before the tournament begins, Bangladesh HP will continue their preparations in Darwin as they seek to turn previous experience in the Top End competition into a title-winning campaign.
