After a bitter experience of previous tour, the Indian women's cricket team will begin their five-match T20 series against Bangladesh from tomorrow at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
Their previous visit to Bangladesh in July 2023 ended on a bitter note with the visitors’ captain Harmanpreet questioning the umpiring standards of the hosts.
Three matches of five-match series will be day-night affairs and will take place at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium while rest of the two matches will be held at the outer stadium, was completed recently.
The night games will start at 6.30pm when the day games will kick off at 2pm.
Meanwhile, both the touring sides, Indian women team and the hosts Bangladesh will play the series as a part of their preparation for the T20 World Cup, 2024.
It is the third tour of India and the second tour in two years in Bangladesh when in 2023 they played three T20 and as many ODIs. The touring sides won the T20 series by 2-1, while the ODI series was tied 1-1. After last match, which was tied off three-match ODI, the India captain Harmanpreet Kaur criticised the umpires following the series was locked 1-1.
Harmanpreet, after being given out caught behind, unexpectedly smashed the stumps with her bat, and called the umpiring “pathetic” at the post-match press meet.
“The next time whenever we are coming to Bangladesh, we'll have to make sure we have to deal with this kind of umpiring and accordingly, we'll have to prepare ourselves," she said. For her outburst, she was banned for two matches by the ICC.
Smriti Mandhana, India's vice-captain, had also hoped for neutral umpires for the next tour. The Indian team will arrive in Bangladesh on April 23.
