The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced that the national team will be playing seven red-ball games in preparation for a tough Test schedule ahead. This decision is part of a shift in focus from T20Is to the World Test Championship (WTC). Bangladesh is scheduled to play Test series against South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan, and India in the 2023-25 WTC cycle. The Test players will participate in three four-day games in Chattogram next month, followed by two four-day matches against Pakistan A in Darwin from July 19 to 29. Additionally, the Bangladesh A team will travel to Pakistan to play two four-day matches in August. New Zealand A is also set to visit Bangladesh in August or September.
Since May, Bangladesh players have been attending training camps in Chattogram and Sylhet. BCB’s cricket operations chairman, Jalal Yunus, mentioned that the Test players are making good progress in the camps and that the upcoming four-day games against strong opponents will benefit them for the WTC matches. The senior men’s squad is expected to travel to Pakistan on August 17 for two Tests, with the locations and dates yet to be announced. Following the Pakistan series, Bangladesh will play two Tests against India in Chennai and Kanpur, followed by three Twenty20 Internationals.
There is a possibility that Bangladesh might tour India twice in three months if the BCB agrees to the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s amended schedule of two white-ball matches in late July. Originally postponed in March due to Bangladesh’s workload in 2024, the tour has now been reconsidered by the BCB as they only have three ODIs scheduled and the Champions Trophy is now on their calendar.