Pakistan Likely to Tour Bangladesh in Mid-2025, Confirms BCB Chief

BCB President Faruque Ahmed announced a likely Pakistan tour of Bangladesh in mid-2025, following Bangladesh’s visit to Pakistan in May. Strategic discussions for the 2027 World Cup are ongoing, and the BCB is considering a new T20I captain after Shanto’s resignation. Farewell plans for retiring player Mushfiqur Rahim are also in progress.

Faruque Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), announced that Pakistan is anticipated to tour Bangladesh in mid-2025 for a series of white-ball matches. According to discussions with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) during the Champions Trophy, they have agreed on a possible short tour in July and August. The BCB will confirm the details once finalized, as Faruque stated, “There might be a short tour in July, which we have mostly confirmed. We will inform you when we finalise it.”

Bangladesh is set to visit Pakistan in May for three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) as per the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP). Furthermore, BCB is contemplating its strategy for the upcoming 50-over World Cup scheduled for 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Faruque highlighted, “The board will give its policy [for 2027]. I think someone like Najmul Abedin Faheem is an experienced individual to take care of the operations committee. We will discuss how to take cricket forward.”

Following the exit of Najmul Hossain Shanto as T20I captain in January, the BCB is in the process of selecting a new captain, with speculation surrounding Litton Das as a potential candidate. Faruque affirmed the intention to appoint a new leader from those who have recently captained the team. As he remarked, “We will try to appoint a captain from among those who have captained the team recently. We will get to a decision soon, and you will know about it.”

Additionally, the BCB is organizing a farewell for Mushfiqur Rahim, who recently announced his retirement from ODIs. Faruque expressed the importance of honoring Rahim’s contributions, stating, “He is probably one of the legends of our team. He is one of the architects of Bangladesh cricket over the last 19 years.” He recalled Rahim’s impactful performances starting from 2005, particularly his pivotal role in the 2007 World Cup, emphasizing the inspiration he provides to younger generations.

In summary, BCB President Faruque Ahmed has greenlit a potential tour by Pakistan to Bangladesh in mid-2025, following a scheduled visit by Bangladesh to Pakistan in May. The board is also focusing on strategic planning for the 2027 World Cup and has initiated the process of appointing a new T20I captain. Furthermore, arrangements for a fitting farewell to retiring legend Mushfiqur Rahim are underway, as the BCB values his significant contributions to Bangladeshi cricket.

Original Source: www.espncricinfo.com