Bangladesh, Afghanistan series right after Asia Cup

NN ONLINE:

Bangladesh will barely have time to pause after the Asia Cup.

The Tigers are set to face Afghanistan in a white-ball series in the UAE in early October — three T20s followed by three ODIs.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the schedule this week. The T20 series will start on October 2, with matches also on October 3 and 5.

The ODIs are slated for October 8, 11 and 14. The dates mean both teams will go straight from the Asia Cup, which ends September 28, into another tough contest. For Bangladesh, it comes as part of a packed calendar that also doubles as World Cup preparation.

ACB chief executive Naseeb Khan welcomed the series, calling it “a reflection of the strength of our partnership” and promising that fans can expect “top-level competition” even at a neutral venue.

BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said his board values the contest just as much.

“We are looking forward to a competitive and exciting series against Afghanistan,” he said. “This tour will be a valuable opportunity after the Asia Cup. It also reflects the mutual respect between our two boards. We thank the ACB for hosting.”

The two sides have developed a fierce rivalry in recent years, particularly in T20s. Bangladesh beat Afghanistan in the group stage of last year’s World Cup but stumbled in the ODI series earlier this year. With both teams looking to build consistency, the October fixtures will add another sharp edge to the contest.