Cape Town - Former Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis will captain the World XI against an Asian XI in two T20 matches scheduled for Bangladesh in March.

Du Plessis will be joined by Proteas team-mate Lungi Ngidi and a host of other top players including Alex Hales, Chris Gayle, Brendan Taylor, Jonny Bairstow and Kieron Pollard in matches that form part of the nationwide celebrations to mark the birth of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, considered to be the father of the Bangladesh nation.

The World XI will face a strong line-up from Asia including the likes of Lasith Malinga, Rashid Khan, Thisara Perera as well as Virat Kohli and a host of other Indian stars, although they are still not officially confirmed.

The two matches are tentatively scheduled for March 21 and 22 which is well before the start of the Indian Premier League on March 29. 

Proposed squads (yet to be finalised)

Asia XI

KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Sandeep Lamichhane, Mahmudullah

World XI

Alex Hales, Chris Gayle, Faf du Plessis (captain), Nicholas Pooran, Brendan Taylor, Jonny Bairstow, Kieron Pollard, Sheldon Cottrell, Lungi Ngidi, Andrew Tye, Mitchell McClenaghan

- Compiled by Craig Taylor