Melbourne, April 17 (IANS) Australia will tour Bangladesh for a white-ball series, which consists of three One-Day International (ODI) matches and as many T20Is, from June 9 to 21.
The three ODI matches will be played on June 9, 11 & 14 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka, followed by three T20Is at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, scheduled for June 17, 19, and 21.
The ODI series will mark Australia’s first in Bangladesh in 15 years. Australia last played One-day cricket in Bangladesh in 2011, a three-match series in April of that year played entirely at the same Sher-e-Bangla venue in Dhaka’s Mirpur district that will host all three ODIs this time around. That series was also Michael Clarke’s debut as Australia captain.
Australia’s men last toured Bangladesh in August 2021 when they played a five-match T20I series; they lost 4-1. Moreover, the T20I matches against Bangladesh will be Australia’s first since their disappointing T20 World Cup campaign in February that saw them bundled out at the group stage after losing to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.
Australia will head to Bangladesh from Pakistan, where they are scheduled to play three ODIs in a yet-to-be-announced series that is expected to start May 30.
The Pakistan series will clash with the expected 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) final, which is reportedly set to hold its final on May 31.
The ODI matches in Pakistan and Bangladesh will be important as Australia builds towards next year’s ODI World Cup in southern Africa. That build-up will include more one-day matches in Zimbabwe and South Africa in September (in a tour where three Tests against the Proteas are the main event) before three ODIs at home against England in November, cricket.com.au reports.
–IANS
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