Bangladesh to Play 12 Matches in New WTC Cycle Starting Against Sri Lanka

Bangladesh cricket team set to play twelve matches in new WTC cycle from 2025-2027, starting with two Tests against Sri Lanka. The team is competing amidst challenging history but shows improvement since WTC’s inception. Matches split evenly at home and abroad, with notable series against Pakistan, West Indies, and England on the horizon.

Dhaka, June 15, 2025 (BSS) – Bangladesh’s cricket team is gearing up for a challenging schedule in the newly launched World Test Championship (WTC) cycle that will stretch from 2025 to 2027. This follows the third cycle’s conclusion, where South Africa clinched the championship title after shaking off their underdog reputation. Bangladesh finished in the seventh position in the last cycle, managing to secure four wins out of twelve matches.

In this ongoing cycle, Bangladesh has also been allocated twelve matches. The team is set to kick off the series with two Tests against Sri Lanka, starting June 17 in Galle, before heading to Colombo for the second match on June 25. Interestingly, the test series against Sri Lanka marks the beginning of this fourth WTC cycle.

The breakdown of the matches sees Bangladesh playing six at home and six away. At home, they will face Pakistan, West Indies, and England, while away games will take them to Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Australia. All series this time around will consist of two matches.

Historically, the last cycle was considered Bangladesh’s most productive yet, in terms of victories. The first WTC cycle (2019-2021) saw Bangladesh lose all seven matches, while the second cycle (2021-2023) granted them only one victory from twelve encounters. Nevertheless, they will be starting this upcoming series in Sri Lanka, where they previously celebrated their landmark 100th Test victory.

Despite having nearly 25 years of experience in Test cricket, Bangladesh still struggles with their win-loss ratio. Since the introduction of the WTC, there has been a notable improvement in their performances. Throughout the three WTC cycles to date, the team has played 31 Tests, winning five, drawing two, and suffering 24 losses.

As in previous cycles, nine teams will participate in the WTC, with each side engaged in six series—three at home and three away. The points system remains unchanged: teams earn 12 points for a win, four for a draw, and six for a tie. However, unlike the last cycles, this one will feature a total of 71 matches, including the final, which is expected to take place at Lord’s in June 2027.

Australia is set to play the most fixtures, with 22 matches scheduled, closely followed by England with 21. In contrast, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will have the least amount of matches, both fielding 12. Looking ahead, Bangladesh’s only Test series in 2025 is the one against Sri Lanka; their remaining five series will unfold in 2026 and 2027.

The next series for Bangladesh is scheduled for March 2026 at home against Pakistan. Later that year, they will embark on their first Test series in Australia since 2003, taking place in August. Following that, the West Indies will visit them in October 2026, and Bangladesh will tour South Africa in November.

The final series for this cycle will see Bangladesh host England in February 2027, marking their first Test encounter with the English since 2016. A particularly encouraging stat for Bangladesh is their unbeaten run in their last series against four of the six teams they will face in this cycle. They drew series against Australia, England, and the West Indies, and secured a decisive 2-0 victory against Pakistan. However, they did lose series to Sri Lanka and the current champions, South Africa.

In summary, Bangladesh faces a busy schedule in the upcoming World Test Championship cycle, participating in twelve matches split evenly between home and away. Starting with Sri Lanka, the team aims to build on past performances despite historical challenges. As they navigate the cycle, the statistics reveal an opportunity for growth, particularly given their recent positive outcomes against several competitors. Bangladesh will look to leverage these experiences as they take on formidable opponents in the years to come.

Original Source: www.bssnews.net