The Bangladesh national cricket team will tour the United Arab Emirates in May to play two T20Is. The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has officially announced that the two matches will be played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on May 17 and May 19, starting at 7 pm (local time) respectively. This is Bangladesh’s second bilateral T20I series against the UAE, after a two-match series in Dubai in September 2022.
The series is being seen as part of Bangladesh’s busy international schedule. After completing the two matches, the Bangladesh team will travel to Pakistan to play a five-match T20I series. “We are delighted to welcome the Bangladesh men’s team back to the UAE. We always aim to provide our national team with opportunities to play against quality opponents,” Subahan Ahmed, Chief Operating Officer of the Emirates Cricket Board, said in a statement.
He added, “In the last three years, we have welcomed ICC full member teams like New Zealand, West Indies, and Afghanistan. And this series is Bangladesh’s second bilateral tour, which is special for us.”
He said that this series will serve as a great preparation opportunity for the UAE team ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup 2025. He thanked the Bangladesh Cricket Board for their support and said, “Sharjah Cricket Stadium is a great venue for playing T20s, and we are looking forward to two very exciting matches.”
Bangladesh Cricket Board Chief Executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said, “We are delighted that the Bangladesh team is going to play in the UAE again. BCB always attaches importance to playing competitive cricket, and we applaud the initiative of the Emirates Cricket Board to host this series.”
He added, “These matches will help prepare the team ahead of our busy international calendar, which includes big tournaments like the Asia Cup. We believe these two matches will be an exciting experience for cricket fans and will further strengthen the relationship between the BCB and the ECB.”
Such small but quality bilateral series play a big role in international cricket. It not only provides an opportunity for players to prepare but also helps improve the relationship between the cricket boards of the two countries and paves the way for young players to gain experience. This series is very important for teams like Bangladesh, which regularly participate in big tournaments. At the same time, it is a big opportunity for emerging teams like the United Arab Emirates, where they can showcase their capabilities against strong teams.
All in all, these two-match series in May will bring some new excitement to T20 cricket and add a new dimension to the teams’ preparations ahead of big events like the Asia Cup.
