Australia to play ODIs in Bangladesh for the first time in 15 years; full schedule out

Last time Australia played ODIs in Bangladesh was in 2011, right after the World Cup, where they were beaten by eventual champions India in the quarterfinals.

For the first time in 15 years, Australia will play an ODI series against Bangladesh in Bangladesh in June later this year, Cricket Australia confirmed on Friday.

But before that Australia will play a three-ODI series in Pakistan. (REUTERS)

In all, there are going to be six white-ball matches — 3 ODIs and 3T20Is. The last time the Aussies played an ODI in Bangladesh was in 2011. Australia had toured the sub-continent nation in 2021 too, but at that time, there were no ODIs as part of the schedule. They played a five-game T20I rubber, and they lost it 4-1.

“With the tour to also include three T20I fixtures, a fresh broadcast rights agreement struck this week will mean there is no repeat of Australia's previous tour, which was blacked out to Australian viewers, making this the first men's white-ball bilateral series in Bangladesh that has been viewable in Australia since 2011.

“Australia will play three ODI matches in Dhaka from June 9 followed by three T20Is in Chattogram from June 17, in a trip that will last less than a fortnight but is part of a wider subcontinent tour,” Cricket Australia wrote.

Australia will travel to Bangladesh from Pakistan after an ODI series there that kicks off on May 30. However, the detailed schedule for that rubber is not out yet. The 2026 IPL final will be played on May 31, so it will be interesting to see whether or not they decide to field their A side in Pakistan for the first game. In light of IPL’s reputation and the players’ commitment to it, some of their top players might be allowed to finish the league before they can fly to Pakistan.

But a camp before all that!

"We've got a batch of camps in May, before the Pakistan and Bangladesh white-ball series (and we're) focused pretty intently on which players we're going to get there at the moment," Cricket Australia selector George Bailey said earlier this month, at the time when the new national contracts for Aussie players were announced.

In 2011, Australia played three ODIs in Dhaka and won all three matches. Allrounder Shane Watson played a remarkable innings of 185 not out off 96 balls in one of the matches. He hit a whopping 15 sixes. It was also the first time Michael Clarke captained the Aussies. The series was held right after the World Cup which India had won.

Full schedule of Australia’s tour of Bangladesh:

One-Day Internationals: June 9, 11 and 14. All matches played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka

T20 Internationals: June 17, 19 and 21. All matches played at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram