BSS
The Bangladesh national cricket team reached New Zealand on Wednesday for a limited over series that included three ODIs and as many T20 Internationals. The media department of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed that the Tigers reached New Zealand at 2.45 PM as per New Zealand time.
The three ODIs that Bangladesh would play are the part of ICC ODI Super League, a tournament that would play a vital role in their aspiration to play the 2023 World Cup in India directly.
This is Bangladesh’s first foreign tour in the Covid-19 era and also their first tour to New Zealand since the Christchurch attack in a mosque in March 2019, where the Tigers narrowly escaped the mass shooting. The tour was then abandoned as the Tigers returned home keeping the third and final Test of the series unfinished.
The 20 members of Bangladesh team however would be placed under strict quarantine after returning negative in Covid-19 test. They will stay quarantine for 14 days at the high performance center of Lincoln University.
From day eight, the cricketers will get the opportunity to begin fitness and skill training at limited scale. After completing the 14-day quarantine, the Tigers will have a five-day camp at Queenstown. The Tigers’ record against New Zealand is abysmal as they are yet to register any victory over the Kiwis on their den. Bangladesh played nine Tests, 13 ODIs and four T20 Internationals on New Zealand soil but failed to win any match.
Bangladesh is without the service of Shakib Al Hasan who skipped the tour due to be with his wife as they are expecting their third child.
The national cricket team however is touring the New Zealand on the back of their 0-2 whitewash at the hands of a depleted West Indies side who missed the majority of their first choice players. Bangladesh will play the first ODI against New Zealand on March 20 at University of Otago in Dunedin.
The second ODI is on March 23 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch and the third ODI is at Basin Reserve in Wellington on March 26. The first and third ODI will start at 4 AM Bangladesh Time and the second one will begin at Bangladesh time 7 AM.
The first T20 of the series will be held at Seddon Park, Hamilton on March 28 and starts at 7 AM Bangladesh time. The second ODI is at McLean Park, Napier on March 30 while the third T20 is at Eden Park, Auckland on April 1. The second and third T20 starts at 12 PM Bangladesh time.