Bangladesh to face UAE in 2 T20Is before Pakistan tour

The Bangladesh National Cricket Team is all set to face the United Arab Emirates in two T20I matches before traveling to Pakistan for a five-match T20I series. On Friday, May 2, the Emirates Cricket Board announced the two-match T20I series against the Tigers.

The T20I matches between the Bengal Tigers and UAE are scheduled for May 17 and 19, with both starting at 7:00 pm local time at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. After completing the tour, the Bengal Tigers will travel to Pakistan to play five T20Is, starting on May 25.

The Bengal Tigers return to the UAE for the T20I series before the Pakistan tour

This will be the second bilateral T20I series between Bangladesh and UAE in the last three years, with the two teams having previously faced off in a two-match series in Dubai in September 2022.

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The Emirates Cricket Board's chief operating officer, Subhan Ahmad, expressed excitement about hosting Bengal Tigers again after hosting New Zealand, West Indies, and Afghanistan, as this series will provide quality competition to the UAE national side.

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Subhan Ahmad said in an official statement, “We are excited to host the Bangladesh Men's team for another bilateral T20I series with the UAE Men's team. The Emirates Cricket Board is always keen on providing opportunities to the UAE's national side against quality opponents. In the last three years, we have hosted ICC Full Members New Zealand, West Indies, and Afghanistan, while Bangladesh's T20I series tour is their second bilateral tour of the UAE in three years.”

Bangladesh and UAE gear up for Asia Cup 2025 with T20Is

The ECB COO further said that the Bangladesh series would serve as ideal preparation for the UAE ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup 2025. Ahmad thanked the BCB for supporting the UAE cricket while hailing the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Ahmad added, “The two-match Bangladesh series will provide an ideal preparation opportunity for UAE ahead of this year's ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup, and we thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board for their support for UAE Cricket. The Sharjah Cricket Stadium is an excellent venue for T20 cricket, and we look forward to hosting two exciting games.”

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Meanwhile, BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury has welcomed the upcoming two-match T20I series against the UAE, calling it a timely opportunity to fine-tune preparations ahead of a packed international schedule.

BCB and ECB aim to provide quality entertainment to the fans

With the Asia Cup and other key tournaments lined up, the BCB believes that these T20I matches are valuable for the players to gain match practice and assess their preparations for the upcoming events.

The board said that they appreciate the initiative of the ECB in arranging the T20I series.

Chowdhury stated, “These matches will serve as an important part of our team's preparations ahead of a packed international calendar, including the upcoming Asia Cup. We are confident that these two games will further strengthen the cricketing ties between the BCB and ECB and provide quality entertainment to the cricket fans.”

Notably, the Bengal Tigers had a poor campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where they suffered defeats against New Zealand and India, while their last group match was abandoned against Pakistan.