Bangladesh Postpone Ireland Tour, Eye Blockbuster India Series Amidst Standoff: Report

Bangladesh Cricket Board postpones Ireland tour to host India for ODIs and T20Is as they chase direct 2027 World Cup qualification amidst scheduling uncertainty.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has postponed their tour of Ireland in September, hoping that they could host India for a deferred white-ball series during that window, according to a report in Cricbuzz.

As per reports, Cricket Ireland, which released its full-year schedule, informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board that rescheduling within 2026 wasn’t possible. This follows the BCB’s request to skip September, as they plan to host India during that window.

The two boards agreed to defer the series after being unable to fit it into the September window. India, slated to tour Bangladesh in 2025 before the postponement, will now arrive on August 28 for a three‑match ODI series followed by three T20Is.

As per a Bangladesh Cricket Board press release, the three ODIs are all set for September 1, 3, and 6, while the T20Is will take place on September 9, 12, and 13.

“When the India series was moved from last year to this September, we asked them (Cricket Ireland) if they could accommodate us at another time in 2026, but they said they were unable to do so. So the tour has been postponed," a BCB official said while speaking to Cricbuzz.

“They also had some other issues, so we decided to work together to find a new window for the Ireland tour, hopefully sometime next year (2027)," the source added.

Bangladesh have climbed to ninth in the ICC ODI team rankings after their 2-1 home series victory over Pakistan, reaching 79 rating points, two clear of West Indies in 10th.

To earn direct entry to the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, Bangladesh must finish in the top eight of the ICC ODI team rankings by March 31, 2027.

Teams outside that bracket will need to compete in a qualifying tournament.

With the Ireland tour postponed, Bangladesh are now expected to host New Zealand, Australia and India, while touring South Africa and Zimbabwe ahead of the World Cup qualification deadline.

But if the September India tour is postponed, pending clearance from the Government of India amidst recent diplomatic tensions, Bangladesh could face a shortage of ODIs ahead of the direct World Cup qualification cut-off.

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