Bangladesh postpone Ireland tour in September to accommodate India series
What's the story
Team Bangladesh has decided to postpone its September 2026 tour of Ireland. The decision was confirmed by a Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official to Cricbuzz. The move comes as the BCB is looking to host India during that period. According to reports, Cricket Ireland recently published their annual schedule and informed the BCB about their inability to reschedule within 2026.
Schedule adjustment
India to tour Bangladesh in September 2026
Originally, Team India was supposed to tour Bangladesh in 2025, but the series was postponed. Now, India are scheduled to arrive on August 28 for three ODIs and three T20Is. The ODIs will be played on September 1, 3, and 6 while the T20Is are set for September 9, 12, and 13. A BCB official told Cricbuzz that they had asked Cricket Ireland if they could accommodate another time in 2026 after the India series was moved from last year to this September.
Future plans
Series postponed to a later date
The BCB official further said that Cricket Ireland said they couldn't accommodate a new date due to other issues. So, both boards decided to defer the series and are now looking for a new window in 2027. Bangladesh has climbed to ninth place in the ICC ODI team rankings after their recent 2-1 home series win against Pakistan. They now have 79 rating points, two more than West Indies who are 10th on the list.
Qualification strategy
Bangladesh eye direct qualification for World Cup
To qualify directly for the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, Bangladesh has to be among the top eight teams in the rankings by March 31, 2027. Teams outside that bracket will have to go through a qualifying tournament. With Ireland tour postponed, Bangladesh is likely to host New Zealand, Australia, and India while also touring South Africa and Zimbabwe before the qualification deadline.