This year’s HP team is made up of cricketers who are in and around the national team, along with those in the pipeline. The team is taking its first assignment to Australia. Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Akbar Ali, the two captains of the red and white balls, saw this as a great opportunity. Joy said that his team is going to win.
Bangladesh played the last Test on Australian soil in 2003. The last bilateral ODI series is also the story of 16 years ago. Bangladesh went to Australia to play 1 ODI World Cup and 1 T20 World Cup in the last 15 years. The youngsters went to play the Under Nineteen World Cup in 2012. One thing is clear from here, Bangladesh playing on Australian soil is quite a rare sight.
However, HP unit cricketers who are in the team’s pipeline or around the national team are getting golden opportunities. They will play in all three formats during the five-week tour in Darwin. In addition to playing two four-day matches and two one-day matches, there is a T20 tournament. The Bangladesh team will be able to play 6 matches in the first phase of the 9-team T20 tournament.
Pakistan Shaheens are the opponent of Bangladesh in two matches of four days. Even in one day matches, the opponent is the Pakistan team. But in a match. The other will play against the Northern Territory. The two matches will be on August 1 and 6. Besides these three teams, there are four teams of Big Bash in that tournament of 9 teams. Perth Scorchers, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars and Adelaide Strikers. The remaining two teams are Samani Tigers and ACT Comets.
Before the tour, HP team’s T20 captain Akbar Ali said, ‘There is a challenge for cricketers to play in different conditions. Going to play in a completely new condition in Australia. This tour will be very helpful to understand the conditions, to adapt to it and play.
However, Red Ball captain Mahmudul Hasan Joy sees this series as a big opportunity. He has his eyes on the Test series in Australia in 2027. He said this keeping it in front.
He commented, ‘This is a very big opportunity for us, we are going to Australia. I’d say none of the group we’re in here has ever toured Australia. It’s our first tour, it’s very important for us. There is a Test series against Australia there in 2027 and it will be a great preparation for that.’
What is the goal of Bangladesh in the tour? Before leaving, Red Ball captain Mahmudul Hasan announced that the team’s goal is to win. He said, ‘As the captain, the combination of our team will aim to win the series.’