The Bangladesh national cricket team will begin their fitness camp for the forthcoming three-match T20I series against the Netherlands at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday, as the BCB announced the itinerary for the series on Monday night.
Sylhet International Cricket Stadium will host all three matches of the series on August 30, September 1 and September 3, following the Dutch cricket arrival in Bangladesh on August 26.
This will be the third series of multiple matches, where all matches are scheduled in Sylhet after it hosted Afghanistan (two matches) and Sri Lanka (three matches) earlier.
The BCB said that Sylhet got their nod, as they thought the best wickets in the country were produced there.
‘Most probably our best possible wickets are in Sylhet [at the moment],’ said BCB’s chairman of the cricket operations, Najmul Abedeen Fahim.
‘Runs are scored there. You need such a wicket in T20s. Sylhet is probably that place in Bangladesh. We will try to host the matches in Sylhet so that our preparation is ideal,’ he added.
A window was created for the national team amid a packed schedule, as the white-ball series against India had been deferred to September next year.
The Tigers’ last assignment was a three-match T20I series against Pakistan at home last month.
Since then, the BCB was trying to manage a bilateral series with an eye to the preparation of the Asia Cup, which would be held in the UAE in September.
The BCB has requested that the available players from the 25-member preliminary squad for the upcoming Asia Cup—announced on Tuesday—report in Mirpur today for the fitness camp.
According to the BCB, skill practice will begin at the same venue on August 15 before it moves to Sylhet on August 20.
It was reported earlier that the BCB would hire Julian Wood—a specialist power-hitting coach—to work with the players in the camp.
But while filing this report, the BCB was yet to confirm his appointment.
The Englishman is currently working with the Sri Lanka national women’s team.
In a recent interview with ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ·, Wood mentioned that Phil Simmons, the head coach of the Bangladesh national team, had contacted him.
‘I’ve done two BPLs, and even back then, there was talk of me working with the national side. It didn’t materialise at the time, but now it has, and I’m really pleased,’ said Wood.
‘Phil Simmons, the head coach, reached out. I’ve worked with him before, and he asked if I was available. We found this three-week window just before the Asia Cup, which is good,’ he added.
