The countdown to the 2026 T20 World Cup has begun in earnest, and across the cricketing world, teams are entering the final phase of preparation.
Defending champions India are busy lining up ten home T20Is across December and January, aiming to perfect their combinations and acclimatise to conditions similar to those in the host venues. South Africa, New Zealand, and other major sides are also using the months before the tournament to fine-tune strategies, experiment with line-ups, and give their players match-ready confidence.
Yet, amid this flurry of international action, Bangladesh's preparation paints a starkly different picture. The Tigers will play no official T20Is before the World Cup, with their last international series being a home 2-1 victory against Ireland — sandwiched between a 3-0 whitewash at the hands of the West Indies in Chattogram. Instead of international exposure, the players' focus will be the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), starting on December 26, which will run almost right up to the tournament's doorstep, leaving barely two weeks before the World Cup begins on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.
It is a situation that raises concerns. The BPL, while competitive, cannot fully replicate international pressures or the conditions that players will face in India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh's 2025 record shows their potential — 30 T20Is, 15 wins (a record), and mixed results overseas — yet the inconsistency remains worrying. Series triumphs over Sri Lanka and Afghanistan are counterbalanced by losses to the UAE and a heavy defeat by Pakistan. The Asia Cup saw them reach the Super Fours but fail to progress further.
Afghanistan
No T20Is before the World Cup
Australia
Three T20Is vs Pakistan, away, late January 2026 (TBC)
Bangladesh
No T20Is before the World Cup
England
Three T20Is vs Sri Lanka, away, January-February 2026
India
Five T20Is vs South Africa, home, December 2025
Five T20Is vs New Zealand, home, January 2026
Ireland
No T20Is before the World Cup
New Zealand
Five T20Is vs India, away, January 2026
Pakistan
Three T20Is vs Sri Lanka, away, January 2026
Three T20Is vs Australia, home, late January 2026 (TBC)
South Africa
Five T20Is vs India, away, December 2025
Three T20Is vs West Indies, home, January-February 2026
Sri Lanka
Three T20Is vs Pakistan, home, January 2026
Three T20Is vs England, home, January-February 2026
West Indies
Three T20Is vs South Africa, home, January-February 2026
Zimbabwe
No T20Is before the World Cup
