The Bangladesh Cricket Board has confirmed that the Indian women’s cricket team will embark on a tour of Bangladesh to compete in a five-match T20I series commencing on April 28. This bilateral engagement is a strategic part of the team’s build-up to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled for October.
The Cricbuzz report provided the detailed itinerary, highlighting that the venue for all the T20I matches will be the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. This series presents an opportunity for both teams to fine-tune their strategies and acclimatize to playing conditions similar to those expected during the World Cup.
Additionally, this series comes right after Bangladesh hosts another formidable opponent, Australia, for six limited-overs-international games, comprising three ODIs and an equal number of T20Is. The Australia-Bangladesh series is starting on March 21 with the ODIs, set to be hosted at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.
Bangladesh, keen on establishing a strong precedent in world cricket, has been stepping up its game and showing commitment towards preparing its team. With the appointment of Habibul Bashar as the new chief of women’s cricket, the BCB amplifies its focus on nurturing and scaling the women’s game to greater heights. Bashar, in his statement to Cricbuzz, emphasized the importance of these high-profile series for Bangladesh women’s cricket, noting it as an essential measure to assess and evaluate the team’s standing against the world’s top cricketing nations.
“These back-to-back series against top-tier teams like Australia and India provide us with an invaluable platform to gauge our strengths and weaknesses. We eagerly anticipate this challenge, and positive outcomes would undoubtedly elevate the team’s confidence, particularly given the weight such victories carry in the arena of international cricket,” Bashar conveyed with optimism.
Reflecting on the past encounters, India’s previous tour to Bangladesh in July 2023 witnessed a series win for the Indian side in the T20Is with a 2-1 scoreline, while the ODI series ended in a draw. The tour was not short of drama, as Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur made headlines expressing her concerns over certain umpiring decisions that she felt were erroneous and went against her team.
The upcoming T20I series is expected to further escalate the sense of rivalry between the two nations on the cricket field, with both teams eyeing to assert dominance and clinch a psychological edge ahead of the much-anticipated T20 World Cup. This presents a thrilling prospect for cricket enthusiasts who eagerly await the display of competitive cricket and the emergence of new talent on the international stage.
As these preparations are underway, the women’s cricket sphere at large remains abuzz with activity elsewhere, too. Notable happenings include the Women’s Premier League 2024 where Amelia Kerr’s performance steered Mumbai Indians to a victory against Gujarat Giants, and updates on India’s ongoing series against England in the men’s division. Additionally, Shoaib Bashir has sparked curiosity among fans with his statements on the potential to upend India’s pursuits in Ranchi.
The upcoming series between Bangladesh and India, followed by the clash with Australia, is set to offer a fascinating prelude to the T20 World Cup. These series will not only help players sharpen their tact but also aid the management in crafting the perfect combination of skill and strategy to succeed at the pinnacle event in women’s T20 cricket.
