Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced that they will host Bangladesh for a three-match ODI series which is scheduled to take place in November. This ODI series will take place in UAE and ACB are yet to announce the venues for the upcoming series.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had earlier declined to tour the UAE or India in late June this year, to play Afghanistan, due to the summer temperatures. That forced the postponement of the tour, which has now been redesigned to include just the three ODIs, on November 6, 9 and 11.
"Following extensive discussions, both boards have agreed to proceed with just the ODI leg, which will be crucial in both teams' preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy, which is set to take place in Pakistan in February next year," the ACB's press release said.
BCB's newly appointed president Faruque Ahmed said last week that he had a meeting with ACB officials on the sidelines of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Malaysia. The BCB is eager to pursue the idea of scheduling three additional ODIs, as Bangladesh has played only three ODIs so far in 2024. With three more matches against the West Indies slated for the end of the year, the BCB believes that this limited exposure will not provide sufficient preparation for the upcoming Champions Trophy. They feel that more ODI matches are necessary to ensure the team is adequately prepared for the tournament.
"I spoke to the officials of Afghanistan Cricket Board in Kuala Lumpur recently," Ahmed said. "We [were] trying to schedule three one-day matches against Afghanistan on our way to the West Indies."
Afghanistan recently defeated South Africa in their last ODI assignment. This is the first time Proteas lost a series against Afghanistan. After the Bangladesh series, Afghanistan will travel to Zimbabwe to play all three formats. On the other hand, Bangladesh will go to the Caribbean to play two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is from mid-November.
