Ending a 23-year-long wait, the Bangladesh National Cricket Team has departed for Australia to play a bilateral Test series. This marks the first time since 2003 that the Tigers will face Australia in red-ball cricket on Australian soil.
Led by captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, the squad boarded a Singapore Airlines flight at 11:55 PM on Friday.
Upon arriving in Australia, Bangladesh will play a warm-up match against a local side before taking on the hosts in the main two-match Test series.
First Test: August 13, Darwin
Second & Final Test: August 22, Mackay
While excitement runs high for this long-awaited tour, the Bangladesh camp has suffered significant injury setbacks ahead of the opening match:
Nahid Rana Ruled Out: Fast-bowling sensation Nahid Rana has been completely ruled out of the entire Test series due to a side strain.
Key Players Missing 1st Test: Experienced wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das and left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam have also been ruled out of the first Test due to injuries. However, the BCB hopes both will recover in time for the second Test.
Bangladesh has played 6 Test matches against Australia so far. Their sole victory came in 2017 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. Of the remaining 5 matches, Bangladesh suffered innings defeats in 3. Despite past struggles, the team lands in Australia with high hopes of delivering a strong performance in foreign conditions.
