Bangladesh to host Zimbabwe Tests in November

Zimbabwe Cricket has agreed in principle to play a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, originally slated for January 2016, in November this year, BCB president Nazmul Hassan has said. The two boards will discuss the schedule on the sidelines of the ICC meeting in Dubai later this week.

The revised schedule comes as a relief for Bangladesh who faced the possibility of no international cricket for the remainder of 2015 after Australia postponed their two-match Test series earlier this month due to security concerns.

Zimbabwe were originally scheduled to tour Bangladesh in January 2016 for two Tests, three ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals. With the Tests being held earlier, Zimbabwe will return in January for the limited-overs leg.

"They have principally agreed to play in November," Hassan said. "We haven't decided on the schedule yet but we will discuss it in the ICC meeting. The three-match ODI series and two T20s that were scheduled in the Zimbabwe tour will now be played in January."

It was learned that the BCB is likely to change the venues of the two Tests to Dhaka and Chittagong, as opposed to Sylhet and Khulna where it was scheduled to be held. It was also learned that BCB will try to fit in a practice match for the visitors although the window is quite short.

Zimbabwe end their international commitments at home on October 29 while the Bangladesh Premier League is set to start from November 21 or 22, so the BCB and ZC have about three weeks to fit in two Tests and a practice match, which is likely to be a three-dayer.