Busiest year awaits for Bangladesh in Test cricket

Bangladesh are all set to have their busiest year in Test cricket in 2024 as they will play as many as 14 matches in the coming 12 months.

Earlier, they played the highest number of matches in Test format in 2022 appearing in 10 Tests. This year they will play four more matches than the previous highest. Last year, they played only four red-ball matches.
Among the 14 matches, the Tigers will play six at home and the rest eight in away.

The cricket experts had already warned the team management of the players’ risk to be burnt out by playing so many five-day matches, which is quite unusual for them.

Apart from Test matches, Bangladesh will also play the T20 World Cup, slated to be held in June in the United States of America (USA) and West Indies. So to prepare for the tournament, they will play a good number of T20 matches also.

Bangladesh players will start the year with Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20, set to start on January 19. Thereafter, they will host Sri Lanka in March for two Tests, three ODIs and three T20 matches. Just after Sri Lanka’s departure from Bangladesh, Zimbabwe will arrive to play five T20 matches and two Tests.

After that, Bangladesh will prepare for the T20 World Cup. Just after the event, they will visit Afghanistan (which play their home matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) or India), Pakistan and India before touring West Indies at the end of this year. In between South Africa will tour Bangladesh.

The year in fact is fully packed as the players have little time to breath in.

Bangladesh fixtures in 2024

March – Bangladesh v Sri Lanka – 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 3 T20s (Home)

April – Bangladesh v Zimbabwe – 2 Tests, 5 T20s (Home)

June – ICC T20 World Cup – The USA and the West Indies

July – Afghanistan v Bangladesh – 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 3 T20s (Away)

August-September – Pakistan v Bangladesh – 2 Tests (Away)

September-October – India v Bangladesh – 2 Tests, 3 T20s (Away)

October-November – Bangladesh v South Africa – 2 Tests (Home)

November-December – West Indies v Bangladesh – 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 3 T20s (Away)