Sports desk: The first batch of Bangladesh cricket team contingent will leave Dhaka for Sydney by a flight of Singapore Airlines to hold their pre-tour conditioning camp in Australia at 10:15pm today.
Before flying for New Zealand on December 19, Bangladesh will hold a 10-day conditioning camp in Sydney, Australia.
After doing three-four days training sessions, Tigers are scheduled to play two practice matches in Sydney to dovetail with the wickets and condition, which are akin to New Zealand.
The visiting side will face-off Sydney Thunders and then Sydney Sixers on December 14 and 16 respectively.
A total of 14 to 16 players and officials may be included in the first batch led by team manager Sabbir Khan.
In this regard, Sabbir Khan said that the batch will be fixed just after the conclusion of the Qualifier-2 match.
“It has not been finalised yet. Those, who will go in the first batch, will be finalized after the end of the Qualifier-2 match between Khulna Titans and Rajshahi Kings. But it will be made of 14-16 member squad,” said Sabbir Khan.
The second batch will join the team in the base camp in Sydney on December 10.
It is leant that some key players including Bangladesh ODI and T20 skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan could not fly with the first batch. They will fly with the second batch.
Bangladesh will play two Tests, three ODIs as many as T20 matches against the Black Caps. The series will be started on December 26 and end on January 25.
Tigers will start their New Zealand campaign with one day and finish the tour with Test.
Before going into the main series, they will play a 50-over practice match against New Zealand XI on December 22.
The visitors will get down against the New Zealanders in the first one day at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on December 26.
The second and third match will be held at the Saxton Oval in Nelson on December 29 and 31 respectively.
Just two days after, the tourists will take on the Black Caps in the first T20I at the McLean Park in Napier on January 3.
Thereafter, they will play the second and third matches against the hosts at the Bay Oval, Mount Maungauni on January 6 and 8 correspondingly.
At the last of the tour, both the teams will play Test which will be held on Basin Reserve, Wellington and Hagley Oval, Christchurch on January 12-16 and 20-24.
