Bangladesh cricket set for busy 2021

Bangladesh cricket team are going to see a busy schedule in the year 2021, if the Covid-19 pandemic doesn’t cause further interruptions. 

Bangladesh as per the Future Tours Program are scheduled to play at least 52 international matches this year, which involves 11 Tests, 15 ODIs and at least 26 T20s. 

The Tests are part of the ICC Test Championship but, in a sense, more important for the country are the ODIs which are part of the ICC ODI Championship – road to qualification for the 2023 World Cup. 

Having played their last international in March last year, Bangladesh’s busy calendar this year starts with the home series against the West Indies starting later this month. 

The hosts are scheduled to play two Tests along with three ODIs.

Following the series against the Caribbean side and after a short break, Bangladesh are to travel to New Zealand in March for a three-ODI series, followed by three T20s.

Bangladesh Cricket Board and Sri Lanka Cricket are in discussion to accommodate the series that got postponed last year twice in April, 2021. 

Following a possible home series against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh are scheduled to visit Zimbabwe in June for two Tests, three ODIs and three T20s.

After the tour of the African nation, Bangladesh are to take part in the Asia Cup in July which will be followed by the home series against England. 

Bangladesh will host the English side for a three-ODI series and three T20Is in October. 

Bangladesh will then travel to India to participate in the World T20I in October-November.

To end the year, Bangladesh are scheduled to host Pakistan in November for two Tests and three T20s, another home series comprising two Tests against Sri Lanka and again tour New Zealand in December for two Tests and three T20s.

The already busy calendar this year will become ever more busier if BCB reschedule the series’ which were postponed last year due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

Bangladesh last year were forced to postpone series’ against Australia, Ireland and Pakistan.

The postponed series against Sri Lanka is already being discussed of taking place in April this year.

“It is expected to be a busy year for Bangladesh cricket in 2021 where we are scheduled to play a lot of matches across formats. Apart from the scheduled series in 2021 we will also look to find the windows for the postponed series’ of 2020,” said BCB cricket operations committee chairman Akram Khan to the media. 

In 2020, Bangladesh could play only nine internationals before the world was hit with Covid-19. 

Bangladesh toured Pakistan for three T20s and the first of the two-Test series in January last year. 

Later the country hosted Zimbabwe in February-March for a Test, three ODIs and two T20s.