Pakistan and Bangladesh have taken a monumental decision. They will replace their upcoming three-match ODI series in May with a five-match T20I one. This was done to allow the players from both teams to prepare well for the Asia Cup and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, both slated to be held in 2026.
Sources have informed the Times of India that this was done considering the preparations necessary for the tournament. Both boards agreed on this.
“Originally, the Bangladesh tour to Pakistan included three T20Is and three ODIs. Now it has been decided that the visitors will play five T20Is instead,” a source told the Times of India.
Neither Pakistan nor Bangladesh fared well in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup, hosted by the United States and the West Indies in 2024. Bangladesh qualified for the Super Eight stage and were eventually knocked out of that. However, Pakistan failed to make it past the tournament’s group phase. They had to bear the insult of even being defeated by minnows USA, who are taking baby steps in cricket.
This has prompted the boards and management of both countries to focus more on preparing for T20 cricket. As a result, the earlier scheduled ODI series in May will now only be a T20I one. Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, had scripted history on their last visit to Pakistani shores.
Touring the nation in August-September 2024, Shanto led his men to an improbable 2-0 whitewash in the Test series. The result embittered their rivals and made them hang their heads in shame. Bangladeshi cricket fans will also hope for something similar in the upcoming white-ball series.
