
'Facing Pakistan won't be easy'
Bangladesh captain Litton Das on Wednesday described the upcoming T20I series against Pakistan as a significant challenge, emphasising the strength of Pakistan's bowling attack.
Speaking at a press conference after the third T20I against Sri Lanka, he acknowledged that conditions in Dhaka could be difficult and that Pakistan would present a formidable test.
"Both series wins are massive. Winning in the West Indies and Sri Lanka is no small feat," he said.
Das made it clear that the series against Pakistan will not be easy, as their players have become familiar with the conditions by playing in the BPL.
"Pakistan in Mirpur won't be easy. They have a varied bowling attack and understand our conditions, especially through the BPL. But we believe we can win if we play smart cricket," he added.
Das expressed uncertainty about how the pitch will behave against Pakistan but noted that continuous rain in Dhaka could make batting conditions difficult.
"I don't know how the Mirpur wicket is going to behave during the Pakistan series. I think it is raining in Dhaka every day, so the wicket can be difficult for batting in such conditions," he said.
For the unversed, the Pakistan will play three T20Is against Bangladesh on July 20, 22 and 24, with Dhaka's Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium set to host all the matches.
The series marks a rematch between the two sides after their last encounter in May, where Pakistan sealed a 3-0 clean sweep at home.
Earlier this week, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officially announced ticket prices for the upcoming series, with prices ranging from Tk 300 to Tk 3,500, catering to a wide range of fans.
The BCB has prioritised a digital-first approach for ticket distribution. Starting July 15, tickets will be available exclusively online through the official eTicket platform.
Alternate series
he Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has begun exploring the possibility of organising an away series during the now-vacant August window, following India's decision to postpone their scheduled tour of Bangladesh.
The home series, originally scheduled for August 1731, 2025 and featuring three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), has been rescheduled for September 2026.
The postponement came after the Indian government advised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to delay the tour due to rising political tensions between the two countries.
Speaking to the media in Dhaka, BCB Director Fahim said the board is actively looking for opportunities to play abroad during the unexpected gap in the international calendar.
"For that period, we were initially considering internal matches, similar to when the 'A' team played against the national side in previous years. That was part of our earlier planning," Fahim explained.
He further stated that the BCB remains flexible and is prepared with contingency plans.
"Right now, we are assessing whether it's feasible to organise a series with another team abroad, even for a short duration. If that doesn't materialise, we will conduct a domestic tournament instead," he added.
The BCB is expected to finalise its alternative plans soon, aiming to ensure that players remain engaged and match-fit despite the disruption to the schedule.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh is scheduled to host 49 international matches in the current Future Tours Programme (FTP) cycle concluding in May 2027.
These include eight Test matches, two each against Ireland, Pakistan, West Indies, and England along with 20 ODIs and 21 T20 Internationals.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
12 hours ago
- Express Tribune
'Facing Pakistan won't be easy'
Pakistan and Bangladesh will play three T20Is in Dhaka this month. Photo: AFP/File Bangladesh captain Litton Das on Wednesday described the upcoming T20I series against Pakistan as a significant challenge, emphasising the strength of Pakistan's bowling attack. Speaking at a press conference after the third T20I against Sri Lanka, he acknowledged that conditions in Dhaka could be difficult and that Pakistan would present a formidable test. "Both series wins are massive. Winning in the West Indies and Sri Lanka is no small feat," he said. Das made it clear that the series against Pakistan will not be easy, as their players have become familiar with the conditions by playing in the BPL. "Pakistan in Mirpur won't be easy. They have a varied bowling attack and understand our conditions, especially through the BPL. But we believe we can win if we play smart cricket," he added. Das expressed uncertainty about how the pitch will behave against Pakistan but noted that continuous rain in Dhaka could make batting conditions difficult. "I don't know how the Mirpur wicket is going to behave during the Pakistan series. I think it is raining in Dhaka every day, so the wicket can be difficult for batting in such conditions," he said. For the unversed, the Pakistan will play three T20Is against Bangladesh on July 20, 22 and 24, with Dhaka's Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium set to host all the matches. The series marks a rematch between the two sides after their last encounter in May, where Pakistan sealed a 3-0 clean sweep at home. Earlier this week, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officially announced ticket prices for the upcoming series, with prices ranging from Tk 300 to Tk 3,500, catering to a wide range of fans. The BCB has prioritised a digital-first approach for ticket distribution. Starting July 15, tickets will be available exclusively online through the official eTicket platform. Alternate series he Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has begun exploring the possibility of organising an away series during the now-vacant August window, following India's decision to postpone their scheduled tour of Bangladesh. The home series, originally scheduled for August 1731, 2025 and featuring three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), has been rescheduled for September 2026. The postponement came after the Indian government advised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to delay the tour due to rising political tensions between the two countries. Speaking to the media in Dhaka, BCB Director Fahim said the board is actively looking for opportunities to play abroad during the unexpected gap in the international calendar. "For that period, we were initially considering internal matches, similar to when the 'A' team played against the national side in previous years. That was part of our earlier planning," Fahim explained. He further stated that the BCB remains flexible and is prepared with contingency plans. "Right now, we are assessing whether it's feasible to organise a series with another team abroad, even for a short duration. If that doesn't materialise, we will conduct a domestic tournament instead," he added. The BCB is expected to finalise its alternative plans soon, aiming to ensure that players remain engaged and match-fit despite the disruption to the schedule. Meanwhile, Bangladesh is scheduled to host 49 international matches in the current Future Tours Programme (FTP) cycle concluding in May 2027. These include eight Test matches, two each against Ireland, Pakistan, West Indies, and England along with 20 ODIs and 21 T20 Internationals.


Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
West Indies all-rounder Russell to retire from international cricket
Two-time Twenty20 World Cup winner Andre Russell will retire from international cricket at age 37 after the second T20 match against Australia on July 22 in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, Cricket West Indies (CWI) said on Wednesday. All-rounder Russell, who won the T20 World Cup in 2012 and 2016, has earned 84 international caps in the format, scoring three fifties and taking 61 wickets. The white-ball specialist, who played only one test match, also appeared in 56 One-Day Internationals (ODI), taking 70 wickets. He last played in the 50-over format in 2019. 'Words cannot explain what it meant. To represent the West Indies has been one of the proudest achievements in my life,' Russell said in a statement. Stokes' long bowling spells v India a great sign for England, says Root 'When I was a kid, I did not expect to get to this level, but the more you start to play and get to love the sport, you realize what you can achieve. This inspired me to become better because I wanted to leave a mark in the maroon colours and become an inspiration to others.' Russell, who travels around the world competing in T20 leagues and most recently appeared in Major League Cricket in the U.S. this month, said he wanted to finish his international career on a high. 'His hunger to perform and win for West Indies has never wavered. I wish him all the best on his next chapter, and I hope he continues to inspire generations to come,' West Indies coach Daren Sammy said. West Indies host Australia in the first T20 of the five-match series on Sunday in Kingston. Australia won their test series 3-0.


Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Five things to expect from TdF week two
The second week of the Tour de France may be short, but it will be crucial, defending champion Tadej Pogacar said on Tuesday's rest day when he went to the barber, had a burger and enjoyed a French cafe, but was raring to get back on the bike. Here AFP breaks down the Slovenian's views on the challenges of the week ahead. Five-day week Pogacar has been unusually serious during the opening week of the Tour which he described on Tuesday as "explosive, nervous, stressful and super-hard". He has also complained about the heat, tiredness and how annoyed he can get by the stonewall tactics from Jonas Vingegaard's Visma team. "Week two will be really fast," he predicted. But he was not talking about the speed of the wheels, rather that it will be over more quickly due to being a day shorter after the 10-day slog before the first rest day. Hopes Healy feels tired Pogacar said it was refreshing to see some new faces like current leader Ben Healy and emerging French star Kevin Vauquelin, and suggested their arrival had muddied the waters. "The field is packed, it's going to be a huge fight even for the podium and especially for the yellow jersey," the 26-year-old said. "It's not just the big teams, everyone has proved they can stay up front," he added, explaining the race is harder to control than it usually is. He also forecast the overall lead would change hands. "Not tomorrow on the flat, but at the Hautacam," he said of the Pyrenean giant mountain on Wednesday. "We'll see if Ben (Healy) can hold on. I hope he feels tired. I want the yellow jersey back." Pinpoints danger While Pogacar paraded to triumph against a weakened Vingegaard in 2024, his thoughts Tuesday seemed to drift back to 2023 when he was routed on a time-trial followed by a mountain slog. "I'm really looking forward to this week, especially the uphill time-trial to Peyragudes." Stage 13 is just 11km long, and he lit up when he spoke of it. "I'm looking forward to the Hautacam but especially to the time-trial at Peyragudes," said the man who is eyeing a fourth Tour triumph with a wistful look. Good for me Pogacar said the second week was usually a medium mountain affair with lots of breakaways as the Tour built towards a finale in week three, but not this year. "We are going to see some big gaps in the upcoming days and I think it's going to be good for me. It's almost as hard as the final week." Up to rivals to attack When Pogacar, Tour winner in 2020, 2021 and last year, was asked about his rivals he named no names. Instead he cast his net wider. "In the coming days I'm under no pressure to attack, it's up to them if they want to get ahead of me," he said. Pogacar stands second after stage 10, 29sec adrift of Healy. Remco Evenepoel, who says "everyone knows that this is where the Tour starts", is third, a minute behind the Slovenian. Two-time champion Vingegaard is 1min 17sec behind the Slovenian in fourth.