Dhaka: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) today announced a 16-member team for the South Africa and Zimbabwe tour.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the young cricketers will engage in a three-match one-day series in South Africa before participating in a tri-nation series in Zimbabwe, which includes hosts Zimbabwe and South Africa.
The team is set to play nine matches during this African tour as part of their preparation for the ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2026. If they qualify for the final of the tournament, they will compete in a total of 10 matches. The team departed Bangladesh today and is expected to arrive in South Africa tomorrow.
Upon arrival, they will undergo two days of training in South Africa and then play a warm-up game against a Cricket South Africa (CSA) invitation XI in Pretoria. The tour continues in Benoni, where the three-match series is scheduled for July 17, 19, and 22.
Following their South African stint, both teams will travel to Harare, Zimbabwe, on July 23 to participate in the tri-nation series. This tournament, running from July 25 to August 10, will feature nine round-robin matches followed by a final. Each team will play three matches against the others in the league phase, with the top two teams advancing to the final.
Bangladesh's campaign in Zimbabwe will commence against South Africa on July 26, with further matches against them on July 31 and August 6. The team will also face Zimbabwe on July 28, August 1, and 8. The final is slated for August 10, featuring the top two teams from the group stage.
The Bangladesh squad includes Azizul Hakim Tamim as captain and Zawad Abrar as vice-captain, along with players such as Samiun Basir Ratul, Debashis Sarkar Deba, and Rizan Hossain, among others. Standby players include Shahriar Ahmed, Shahriar Ajmir, Mohammad Sobuj, and Farhan Shahriar.