Ireland to feature in Tests after four years during Bangladesh tour

Ireland players in T20 WC 2022 (Source: Twitter)

The Ireland cricket team is set to tour Bangladesh this March and April for three ODIs, three T20Is and a one-off Test match. The lone Test marks Ireland’s first against Bangladesh, and their fourth since their induction into the format in 2018.

Notably, the Test match will also be Ireland’s first after a gap of nearly four years. Their previous red-ball appearance came against England at Lord’s back in July 2019.

Ireland to face Bangladesh for the first time in Tests

The much-awaited Test match between Ireland and hosts Bangladesh will be played at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the first week of April. The five-day affair will be preceded by six white-ball games between March 18 and March 30, across Sylhet and Chittagong.

The Irish team is scheduled to reach Bangladesh by March 12 itself. Thereafter, they will engage in a practice match before departing to Sylhet for three ODIs.

Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom recently expressed his excitement over the tour and predicted it to be a “competitive” set of matches between the two sides. He said:

“We are delighted to confirm Ireland men's seven-match, multi-format tour of Bangladesh - and thank the BCB for their cooperation and support in agreeing this month-long tour. Since the two sides first met in 1997, there has been a great on-field rivalry formed and we look forward to what looks set to be another competitive series.”

Here is the entire schedule for Ireland’s tour of Bangladesh 2023:

ODI series:

First ODI – March 18, Sylhet

Second ODI – March 20, Sylhet

Third ODI – March 23, Sylhet

T20I series:

First T20I – March 26, Chittagong

Second T20I – March 28, Chittagong

Third T20I – March 30, Chittagong

Only Test:

April 4 to April 8 – Mirpur

Also Read: Aamer Sohail stands against the idea of change in captaincy