January 22nd, 2020
Consistent batting debacles led to Bangladesh being humiliated with a five-match ODI series whitewash, before also being defeated in the lone T20I
The last time the Bangladesh cricket team travelled to Pakistan – almost 12 years ago – it was for a series arranged in a hurry.
Australia had been set to tour Pakistan in April 2008, until a few of the players cited concerns over security and Cricket Australia pulled out.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board grabbed the unprecedented opportunity of an away series against Pakistan, but the players must have wanted to forget the outcome of the tour after it had concluded.
Consistent batting debacles led to the team being humiliated with a five-match ODI series whitewash, before also being defeated in the lone T20I.
As far as individual performances are concerned, Shakib al Hasan outshined his colleagues with the bat by scoring 192 runs.
However, this was 259 runs behind the top scorer of the series, Pakstan’s Salman Butt.
Bangladesh players and officials gather for a team discussion Dhaka Tribune/Md Manik
Right-arm pacer Mashrafe bin Mortaza finished as the second highest wicket taker with eight wickets, behind Shahid Afridi’s 12 scalps.
Then, in 2009, a terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team in Lahore led to Pakistan being banned from hosting international cricket matches on their own soil.
The ban was finally lifted last year, and Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe travelled to the country as part of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s efforts to reintroduce international cricket matches.
Bangladesh will be the third established cricket playing nation to travel to Pakistan after the ban was lifted.
The process of organizing the tour was far from smooth, as the BCB and PCB struggled to reach consensus on the duration of the stay amid the concerns over security.
Finally, the series was split into three phases.
Mahmudullah briefs the media Dhaka Tribune/Md Manik
After more than a decade since the last series away against Pakistan, Bangladesh will be looking for far better results this time.
On paper, Pakistan are No 1 in the shortest format and Bangladesh stand at No 9, but the Tigers have progressed significantly over the past few years.
The Bangladesh team will travel to Pakistan on a chartered Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight Wednesday evening, and will take on the host in the first of the three-match T20I series Friday in Lahore.
The team will then come back to Bangladesh before returning to Pakistan to play the first Test in Rawalpindi, which starts on February 7, before Pakistan’s players partake in the Pakistan Super League Twenty20.
Bangladesh will go back to the country to play the lone ODI on April 3 before the second Test starts on April 5 in Karachi.
