Nazmul Hossain Shanto’s team will play their first match on February 20 in Dubai.
After much anticipation and discussions, the ICC has finally announced the schedule for the Champions Trophy. Bangladesh’s opening match will be against India on February 20 in Dubai, where Shanto, Miraz, and their teammates will face Rohit Sharma’s side.
The ICC revealed the full schedule and groupings on Tuesday. Bangladesh is placed in Group A alongside New Zealand and hosts Pakistan. Group B consists of Australia, England, South Africa, and Afghanistan.
The tournament will begin on February 19 with a Pakistan-New Zealand clash in Karachi, while the final is scheduled for March 9.
Initially, the entire tournament was to be hosted in Pakistan. However, due to political tensions, India refused to play there. Following extensive discussions, Pakistan agreed to host India’s matches at a neutral venue. Dubai has been chosen as the neutral venue, while Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi will host the remaining matches in Pakistan.
The semifinals and final will take place in Lahore unless India qualifies for the final, in which case the title-deciding match will be held in Dubai. The first semifinal is also set to be played in Dubai. Reserve days have been allocated for both semifinals and the final.
Bangladesh will play their second match against New Zealand on February 24 in Rawalpindi. Their final group match is scheduled for February 27 at the same venue against Pakistan.
The highly anticipated India-Pakistan showdown will take place on February 23.
Group B action kicks off on February 21 with South Africa taking on Afghanistan. The following day, Australia will face England in a high-voltage clash. Australia will also play South Africa on February 25.
The first semifinal is scheduled for March 4, followed by the second semifinal on March 5. A reserve day for the final is set for March 10. All matches in this 50-over tournament will be day-night games.
