Bangladesh, Afghanistan plan UAE white-ball series in October

Photo: AFP

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) are talking to each other about playing a cricket series later this year. This series will be in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in October 2024. Both teams want to play three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches. However, they have not yet decided the exact dates when these matches will happen.

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Why Was The Original Series Postponed?

Earlier, Afghanistan and Bangladesh were supposed to play a full cricket series in July 2024. That series included two Test matches, three ODIs, and three T20I matches. But Bangladesh told Afghanistan that they wanted to postpone the series. They were worried because their players were playing too much cricket and needed some rest. Playing too many matches without rest can make players tired, and it can also cause injuries.

Because of this reason, Bangladesh requested Afghanistan to change the dates of the series. Afghanistan understood their problem and agreed to discuss new dates.

Afghanistan Proposed a New Plan in India But It Did Not Happen

After the series was postponed, the Afghanistan Cricket Board proposed a new plan. They suggested that instead of playing the whole series, both teams could play only the white-ball games, which are ODIs and T20Is. They suggested to Bangladesh that these matches could be played in Greater Noida, India. The plan was to play these matches during July and August.

But this plan also did not happen. There were two reasons why this plan was cancelled:

1. Bad Monsoon Weather: During July and August, there is monsoon season in India. Heavy rains can interrupt cricket matches. Because of this, the teams were worried that matches might get cancelled or stopped midway.

2. Bangladesh’s Busy Schedule: The Bangladesh cricket team was also very busy at that time. They had other series and matches planned, so it was difficult to find time for this series with Afghanistan.

New Plans for October 2024

Now, both the cricket boards are in advanced discussions to play a white-ball series in October 2024. This new plan is to play three ODIs and three T20I matches in the UAE. The exact dates have not been decided yet, but both teams are hopeful that this series will happen.

Why is This Series Important for Both Teams?

This series is very important for both Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The T20I matches will help both teams prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup. This World Cup will be held in India and Sri Lanka. Before such a big tournament, it is good for teams to play more T20I matches. This helps them test their players, team combinations, and strategies.

Playing ODIs is also good practice for upcoming ICC tournaments. Both teams can see which players are performing well and which areas they need to improve.

What Happened When They Last Played Against Each Other?

The last time Afghanistan and Bangladesh played a T20I match against each other was during the 2024 T20 World Cup. That match was played in Kingstown. In that match, Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh. This was a historic win for Afghanistan because it helped them reach their first-ever semi-final in an ICC event.

Before that, Afghanistan and Bangladesh also played an ODI series in November 2024. In that series, Afghanistan won by 2-1. This shows that Afghanistan has been performing well against Bangladesh recently.

Statements from Bangladesh Cricket Board Officials

Shahriar Nafees, who is the Cricket Operations Manager for the Bangladesh Cricket Board, confirmed that they are talking to the Afghanistan Cricket Board about this white-ball series. He said: “We are in discussion with ACB regarding the white-ball series comprising three ODIs and as many T20Is that were rescheduled earlier in 2024. We will be playing the remaining two Test matches at some other time that suits both the boards.”

This means that the two Test matches that were part of the original schedule will be played later when both teams have time in their calendars.

Venue for the Series Yet to be Confirmed

Shahriar Nafees also said that the venue for the series has not been finalised yet. They are planning to play in the UAE, but the exact city or stadium is not confirmed. He also clarified something about the previous ODI series between Afghanistan and Bangladesh. He said: “Though the venue is yet to be finalized, the series is likely to be played in coming October if everything goes as per plan. Earlier we also played three ODIs against Afghanistan but that was not part of the tour that was rescheduled in 2024.”

This means that the ODI series they played earlier was not a part of this tour that was postponed. It was a separate series.

What Did Afghanistan Cricket Board Say?

A spokesperson from the Afghanistan Cricket Board, Sayeed Naseem Sadat, confirmed that talks are going on with Bangladesh for this series. However, he did not share any more details about the discussions.

What Are the Future Plans of Both Teams?

After this series in October, Bangladesh will host the West Indies team later in the same month. Afghanistan, on the other hand, will tour Zimbabwe for their matches.

Why Do Players Need Rest?

This news also highlights an important point about player workload. When players play too many matches without rest, they can get tired both physically and mentally. They can also get injuries. That is why cricket boards plan breaks for their players so that they can stay fit and perform well.

In simple words, Bangladesh and Afghanistan were supposed to play a big cricket series in July 2024, but it was postponed. Then Afghanistan tried to arrange a short series in India, but rains and Bangladesh’s busy schedule stopped that plan. Now, both teams are planning to play three ODIs and three T20Is in the UAE in October 2024. This will help both teams prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup. The exact dates and venue will be decided soon. Fans of both countries are waiting eagerly to see their teams play against each other again.