Bangladesh will play a couple of Twenty20 matches alongside Test series against Zimbabwe in January ahead of the next ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2016.
Nizam Uddin Chowdhury Shujan, CEO of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), revealed this to media at his office of Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium yesterday.
“The number of matches for the upcoming home series against Zimbabwe in November will be fixed after the consultation of our team management and head coach. We are now doing this work. Hopefully we could be sorted out within the next two days,” said Nizam Uddin.
“The Test series against Zimbabwe will be held in January, 2016. We have every possibility to play a couple of Twenty20 matches alongside Test matches ahead of the next ICC World Twenty20 2016,” Chowdhury told the media.
The CEO said that they are trying to increase the number of Test matches out of FTP as they will play comparatively less number of matches in 2016 than other years.
“We’ve 69 Test matches in the current FTP. We’re targeting to play more Test matches ahead. In that aspect, we’ve talked with those teams, who have not sufficient Test matches with us in the FTP. At the same time, the series will be possible when the availability of both sides will be similar. Now we’re working on to sort out the blank slot for the additional series,” Shujan singled out.
“We have comparatively less number of matches under FTP in 2016 than other years. And so, we are planning how we can increase the number of matches,” the CEO also revealed. The BCB CEO said that they are thinking to play some away games under bilateral or a tri-nation series in December. “We don’t get any formal invitation from any country to host the tri-nation series. But we have a slot in hand. So, we can’t ignore it. We’re also mulling over playing some away games in December,” he revealed.