Pakistan series to be divided across two windows
Bangladesh’s upcoming home series against Pakistan in 2026 will not be held in a single stretch, with scheduling conflicts pushing the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to adapt its plans.
Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, BCB’s Cricket Operations Chairman, confirmed to reporters in Mirpur on Thursday that the tour will be split due to a direct overlap with the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
“Because of the PSL, our home series against Pakistan next year is likely to be shifted slightly. Since it’s a full-fledged bilateral series, there’s a chance it will be split into two phases—partly before the PSL and partly after,” he said.
Under the ICC’s Future Tour Programme (FTP), the series is set for mid-March 2026 and includes two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20Is. With the PSL expected to take place during the same period, both the BCB and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are now negotiating how to divide the series — likely into red-ball and white-ball legs.
The current expectation is that the white-ball matches — three ODIs and three T20Is — will be played immediately following the ICC T20 World Cup, which concludes on March 8. The two Test matches, part of the ICC World Test Championship, are expected to follow the PSL window.
Mustafizur to feature only in ODIs against New Zealand
Fahim also addressed Bangladesh’s ODI series against New Zealand, scheduled for April 2026, where left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman will play a limited role due to Indian Premier League (IPL) commitments.
“He will return for eight days to play the ODI series,” Fahim said.
The decision to bring Mustafizur back temporarily from the IPL was made with a clear priority: ensuring Bangladesh’s direct qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
“Regarding playing the ODIs with him, we are not willing to make the slightest compromise on our qualification for the World Cup. Since we are not in a comfortable position, this decision was taken,” he added.
New Zealand’s tour is expected to consist of three ODIs and three T20Is, arriving in Bangladesh around mid-April. The IPL will be in full swing during that time, running from March 26 through May 31, making the eight-day window for Mustafizur a strategic compromise.
T20 World Cup build-up begins in January
Bangladesh’s preparations for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup are also underway. The national team is set to depart for Bengaluru on January 28, ahead of the tournament which runs through February and March.
As part of their build-up, Bangladesh will play two warm-up matches — one against Namibia and one against Afghanistan — before beginning their T20 World Cup campaign.
