Entire Netherlands Series Likely to Be Held in Sylhet

Khabor Wala Desk

Published: 4th August 2025, 3:30 PM

Entire Netherlands Series Likely to Be Held in Sylhet

Photo: Collected

There is a growing possibility that the entire cricket series between Bangladesh and the Netherlands will be hosted in Sylhet, as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) advances its planning in that direction. Although no official decision has been announced yet, signs point strongly towards Sylhet as the finalised venue.

The hint came during a media interaction on Sunday, where Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, Chairman of BCB’s Cricket Operations Committee, discussed the matter with journalists.

Bangladesh Team’s Preparation Timeline

Date	Activity
6 August	Training camp begins in Dhaka with fitness assessments
11–13 August	Arrival of coaching staff in Bangladesh
Post-13 August	Camp moves to Sylhet; begins skill-based training
TBC	Netherlands series matches held in Sylhet

Fahim stated:“We’re starting the camp on the 6th with fitness work. Coaches will join between the 11th and 13th. After that, we’ll shift to Sylhet for skill training and ideally play the series against the Netherlands there as well.”

Rationale Behind Selecting Sylhet

The key factor driving BCB’s preference for Sylhet is its batting-friendly pitches, closely resembling the conditions expected in the Asia Cup, where Bangladesh will play on batting-conducive wickets in Abu Dhabi.

Fahim elaborated:

“We want to play T20s on surfaces where runs can be scored. Among domestic venues, Sylhet probably offers the best batting track. We can’t change the Mirpur wicket, so Sylhet becomes the ideal place for preparation.”

Background on Pitch Conditions

Sylhet’s pitches have earned a reputation for being run-friendly, in stark contrast to the slower surfaces of Mirpur, which have faced criticism in recent series—including the last home series against Pakistan where scoring was difficult.

Venue	Pitch Characteristic	Suitability for T20
Mirpur	Slow, low-scoring	Poor
Sylhet	Batting-friendly, high-scoring	Excellent

Strategic Importance of the Series

Though the official series schedule has yet to be released, BCB sources confirm that this series will serve as Bangladesh’s final international outing before the Asia Cup. Hence, the board is placing considerable emphasis on using the series as ideal match preparation.

Fahim concluded:

“We’ll try to host the matches in Sylhet so that we can make the most of this opportunity for perfect preparation.”

Should the Netherlands series be confirmed for Sylhet, it will mark a significant strategic shift towards tailoring domestic conditions to mirror international demands, particularly in the build-up to major tournaments.