Group D preview

The ninth staging of nan Men's T20 World Cup is now conscionable days away.

BBC Sport has collaborated pinch information analysts CricViz to preview each of nan 20 sides successful nan first group stage.

We've divided each of nan 4 groups into its ain preview and looked astatine really each broadside is shaping up ahead of nan tourney and CricViz person picked retired a cardinal batter and bowler.

Here's Group D, which features Bangladesh, Nepal, Netherlands, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

ICC T20 world ranking: Ninth

T20 World Cup appearances: Eight

Best T20 World Cup performance: Round 2 (2007, 2014, 2016, 2021 & 2022)

Captain: Najmul Hossain Shanto

Head coach: Chandika Hathurusingha

Form (most caller last): WLLLW

Group fixtures (all times BST): Sri Lanka (8 June, 01:30), South Africa (10 June, 15:30), Netherlands (13 June, 15:30) & Nepal (17 June, 00:30)

Batter to watch: Towhid Hridoy

The right-hander comes disconnected nan backmost of 2 400+ tally seasons successful nan typically debased scoring Bangladesh Premier League.

Across this World Cup rhythm he has developed his all-round crippled considerably, averaging much than 40 against spin, while striking astatine complete 150 against gait bowling.

Bowler to watch: Shakib Al Hasan

The controversial talisman will play a cardinal domiciled successful each departments, but pinch nan shot is wherever nan Tigers will beryllium relying connected him astir keenly.

The left-arm spinner is closing successful connected 50 wickets successful this World Cup cycle, which person costs him conscionable a shadiness complete six an over.

He will find conditions to his liking successful nan Caribbean and US, pinch immense playing acquisition successful these nations bringing 50 wickets astatine an mean beneath 20 and an system complaint beneath seven.

ICC T20 world ranking: 17th

T20 World Cup appearances: One

Best T20 World Cup performance: Round 1 (2014)

Captain: Rohit Paudel

Head coach: Monty Desai

Form (most caller last): WWLLL

Group fixtures (all times BST): Netherlands (4 June, 16:30), Sri Lanka (12 June, 00:30), South Africa (15 June, 00:30) & Bangladesh (17 June, 00:30)

Batter to watch: Dipendra Airee

While Paudel takes nan bulk of work astatine nan apical of nan order, Dipendra Airee takes power successful nan last overs.

With complete 500 runs since nan past World Cup astatine an astonishing strike-rate of 191, Airee is simply a powerful and fierce batter.

The only batter successful nan world complete caller years to spell past his strike-rate is Australia's Glenn Maxwell, which is not bad institution to beryllium keeping.

Bowler to watch: Abinash Bohara

Right-arm seamer Bohara has taken much wickets for Nepal than immoderate different bowler since nan past World Cup.

Interestingly, for a subordinate pinch that record, he bowls very fewer of his deliveries successful nan powerplay (9%). The mostly of his deliveries (53%) and wickets (76%) person travel successful nan decease overs, astatine an mean of conscionable 17.

With an system of 9.2 runs-per-over successful that shape arsenic well, Bohara is simply a important constituent for Nepal astatine nan backmost extremity of nan innings.

ICC T20 world ranking: 15th

T20 World Cup appearances: Five

Best T20 World Cup performance: Round 2 (2014 & 2022)

Captain: Scott Edwards

Head coach: Ryan Cook

Form (most caller last): WLLLW

Group fixtures (all times BST): Nepal (4 June, 16:30), South Africa (8 June, 15:30), Bangladesh (13 June, 15:30) & Sri Lanka (17 June, 01:30)

Batter to watch: Sybrand Engelbrecht

The right-hander has made an contiguous effect since returning to cricket - nan South Africa-born subordinate primitively retired successful 2016 - and joining nan Dutch set-up.

After an encouraging 50-over World Cup successful India past year, he averages much than 50 astatine a strike-rate of supra 150 successful T20s for nan Dutch since.

His batting done nan mediate bid will beryllium cardinal to catapulting nan Netherlands totals forward.

Bowler to watch: Logan van Beek

The right-arm seamer has go a existent onslaught leader for nan Netherlands complete nan past fewer years and has nan astir wickets of immoderate Dutch bowler successful T20s crossed this World Cup cycle.

He bowls pinch bully gait and tin vessel passim nan innings, but he excels astatine nan decease pinch his mean down astatine 15.28 successful that phase.

ICC T20 world ranking: Fourth

T20 World Cup appearances: Eight

Best T20 World Cup performance: Semi-finalists (2009 & 2014)

Captain: Aiden Markram

Head coach: Rob Walter

Form (most caller last): WLLLL

Group fixtures (all times BST): Sri Lanka (3 June, 15:30), Netherlands (8 June, 15:30), Bangladesh (10 June, 15:30) & Nepal (15 June, 00:30)

Batter to watch: Heinrich Klaasen

The right-hander's numbers successful nan existent World Cup rhythm person been retired of this world.

An mean of 41 and an eye-watering strike-rate of 182 is thing that nary subordinate successful nan world tin compete pinch astatine nan moment.

He takes a peculiar liking to spin, averaging 59 and striking astatine 192.

Bowler to watch: Tabraiz Shamsi

With astir 50 profession wickets successful nan Caribbean, crossed T20 internationals and Caribbean Premier League, Shamsi is by acold nan astir knowledgeable South Africa bowler successful these conditions.

The left-arm spinner is nan starring wicket-taker among immoderate Proteas bowler successful this rhythm and will beryllium leaned connected heavy to find wickets by skipper Markram.

ICC T20 world ranking: Eighth

T20 World Cup appearances: Eight

Best T20 World Cup performance: Winners (2014)

Captain: Wanindu Hasaranga

Head coach: Chris Silverwood

Form (most caller last): LWLWL

Group fixtures (all times BST): South Africa (3 June, 15:30), Bangladesh (8 June, 01:30), Nepal (12 June, 00:30) & Netherlands (17 June, 01:30)

Batter to watch: Kusal Mendis

The inventive right-handed batter stamped his authority connected past year's 50-over World Cup successful India and will beryllium hoping to do nan aforesaid successful nan Caribbean.

He has scored astir 1,200 runs successful this World Cup cycle, astir 500 much than nan adjacent Sri Lankan.

As a right-hander he will beryllium targeted, peculiarly successful these conditions pinch left-arm spin, but he excels against it, averaging 41 crossed his career. That is his highest of immoderate bowling technique.

Bowler to watch: Matheesha Pathirana

The right-arm accelerated bowler has been turning into Sri Lanka awesome Lasith Malinga some successful a numerical and style sense.

His bowling action achieves akin levels of speed, dip and destruction.

Across this Indian Premier League season, earlier a mini injury, Pathirana took 13 wickets astatine an mean of 13, blowing apical orders distant successful nan powerplay and crushing toes astatine nan death.

With speeds rubbing 93mph, Pathirana could beryllium the bowler to watch successful nan tournament.