BD to play 2nd-most matches in next ICC cycle

Bangladesh cricket team has hit a jackpot in Tests and ODIs for the next ICC cycle as they are set to play the second-highest matches from 2023 to 2027. The Tigers are lined up for 34

Tests, 59 ODIs and 51 T20Is during the cycle, ESPNcricinfo reported.

The FTP for the next cycle as accessed by ESPNcricinfo is subject to change, but it is a fair guideline into what the next few years of international cricket will be like.

Bangladesh are only behind England (42), Australia (41) and India (38) in the Test programme while the Tigers are programmed to play the most number of ODIs (59) during the cycle.

Only Sri Lanka (58) are above the 50 mark.

Overall, Bangladesh are behind only West Indies' 146 international fixtures in the cycle with 144 of their own.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Bangladesh have some exciting games lined up for 2023-2025, the next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. They will play Tests in India, Pakistan and the

West Indies, and host New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka during this time. 

The other three teams outside of the top eight in Tests - Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland - are programmed to play 20, 20 and 12 Tests respectively. But overall, they will all play over

100 international matches in this period, if their boards can keep the schedule intact over the next four years.

Apart from international matches, Bangladesh also have a near-consistent BPL window. Over the next five seasons, the tournament will be played in January, only occasionally starting

slightly sooner, in late December.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have decided to seal long-term with the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) franchises for the upcoming seasons. For now, they have decided to sell

a three-year contract with the franchises, BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon said after the board meeting on Sunday.

The schedule for the upcoming three seasons from 2023 to 2025 has already been finalised. The BCB wants to make this a seven-team tournament.