Bangladesh will play all three of their T20 Internationals against the Netherlands in Sylhet later this month, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has confirmed.
The series forms a key part of the Tigers’ preparation ahead of the Asia Cup in the UAE.
While the BCB has not yet published the full match schedule, Nazmul Abedin Fahim, chairman of cricket operations, confirmed the venue and outlined the training plans leading up to the series. The national team will hold an initial fitness camp in Dhaka from 6 August, before moving to Sylhet for skill training and match preparation.
Speaking to the media, Fahim said:
“The camp will start in Dhaka on the 6th. Everyone will arrive, and we’ll begin with fitness training. Then the coaches will arrive on the 11th, 12th, or 13th. Once they’re here, we’ll begin skill training. After that, the camp will shift to Sylhet. We’ll train there for a few days and then, Inshallah, play the Netherlands series in Sylhet.”
All of Bangladesh’s Asia Cup matches will be played in Abu Dhabi, a venue known for its flat, batting-friendly surfaces. With similar conditions in mind, BCB chose Sylhet as the most suitable domestic venue to prepare the squad for high-scoring contests.
“We cannot replicate foreign conditions perfectly,” Fahim explained. “But among the local options, Sylhet probably offers the best batting surface. In T20s, we need that kind of wicket. That’s why we are planning to play the entire series there — to create what we call ideal preparation.”
Fahim visited Sylhet recently and expressed optimism about the pitch conditions, noting the goal of producing surfaces where teams can score 170–180 runs regularly, or even push towards 200.
“If we could make 300-run wickets, we’d love to. But that’s not possible here. Still, I’ve seen the Sylhet surface, and with the time we have, I believe we can prepare proper batting pitches,” he said. “We want to move away from low-scoring tracks where scoring 130 or 140 is a challenge.”
The decision to move both the training camp and matches to Sylhet comes amid growing criticism of the pitches at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Former Pakistan coach Mike Hesson recently slammed the venue, calling it unsuitable for major tournament preparation. Bangladesh opener Litton Das also voiced concerns about the slow and inconsistent bounce in Mirpur.