BCB to push Pakistan home series to April

The BCB is likely to push Pakistan's 2015 tour of Bangladesh to the second week of April, instead of January. Bangladesh, in the meantime, are set to train in Australia for two extra weeks before the World Cup in a bid to acclimatize to conditions where they last played in January 2010.

Though the BCB's cricket operations committee headed a meeting on the scheduling of international and domestic cricket for the next 12 months on Tuesday, an official confirmation will only come after approval in the board meeting.

Bangladesh are currently expecting a three-match ODI series against India in mid-June, after which their next international assignments include a tour of West Indies in August-September, a possible tri-series in October involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, and up to three Tests against Zimbabwe in November-December.

The Tests will be followed by the World Cup in February-March and home series against Pakistan, India and South Africa till July.

"[The training camp in Australia] is almost confirmed," Akram Khan, the chairman of BCB's cricket operations committee, said. "We still haven't decided the dates but we are trying to do a camp as the condition there is different from Bangladesh. If the cricketers can play a few one-day matches there during this camp, it can only benefit them.

"The Pakistan tour will be held in April next year while India will come in June, and South Africa in July."

To keep the second string players busy, the BCB is trying to host an A team in July or August this year. This will be in addition to Bangladesh A's tour of West Indies next month, and a home series against Zimbabwe in June.