Bangladesh scheduled for Boxing Day tie on New Zealand tour

Bangladesh are scheduled to play an ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch on the Boxing Day during their tour in December-January.

Sports Deskbdnews24.com
Published : 27 May 2016, 10:57 AM
Updated : 27 May 2016, 11:52 AM

Unlike Australia, who only play Tests on Dec 26, the Black Caps also play ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals on the day. This year, it will be a 50-over match.

Beginning with the Boxing Day match, the series will feature two more ODIs, three T20Is and two Tests, New Zealand Cricket announced on Friday.

Although the ICC's Future Tours Programme had scheduled a one-off T20 for the series, two more matches were added to it.

Pakistan will tour New Zealand ahead of Bangladesh's month-long series. Australia and South Africa are scheduled for visits after that, according to the itinerary which included New Zealand's schedules for summer 2016-17 and 2017-18.

Boxing Day in many Commonwealth nations is traditionally the day following Christmas Day, when servants and tradesmen would receive gifts, known as a "Christmas box", from their bosses or employers.

Apart from celebrating the day with different cultural festivals, organising different sports has become traditional too.

While Australia's Boxing Day Test in Melbourne has become an integral part of cricket, New Zealand and South Africa, too, organise matches to mark the day.

Bangladesh have twice taken part in Boxing Day matches, against New Zealand on both occasions - the Wellington Test in 2001 and the Auckland ODI in 2007.

Mashrafe and Co will fly to Nelson from Christchurch. The other two ODIs will be held there on Dec 29 and 31.

The first T20I will be held in Napier on Jan 3 while the other two will be held at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Jan 6 and 8.

The first Test will begin on Jan 12 at Wellington's Basin Reserve before the teams fly back to Christchurch for the last match on Jan 20.