Before the series, the Tigers will also hold a preparation camp in Sylhet. However, fitness assessments for the players will begin on August 6 in Dhaka. According to Fahim, the national team’s coaches and support staff are expected to arrive in Bangladesh starting from August 11, ahead of the skill-based training phase.
Speaking to the media, Fahim said:
“The camp will begin in Dhaka on the 6th, starting with fitness training. The coaches will begin arriving on the 11th, 12th, or 13th. Once they’re here, we’ll shift to skill work. After that, the camp will move to Sylhet. We’ll practice there for a few days and, Insha’Allah, play the series against the Netherlands in Sylhet.”
Bangladesh will play all their Asia Cup matches in Abu Dhabi, where the batting-friendly pitches are known to offer more help to batters. To simulate similar conditions, the Netherlands series has been strategically scheduled in Sylhet, where the pitches are expected to resemble those in Abu Dhabi. Fahim believes this will provide ideal preparation for the Tigers ahead of the tournament.
“We can’t replicate foreign wickets exactly. But the best possible batting surface we have here is probably in Sylhet, where there are decent scoring opportunities. In T20s, you need pitches that allow for runs, and Sylhet offers that. We’re trying to host the games there so we can prepare as ideally as possible,” he explained.
In recent months, the condition of the pitches at Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium has come under heavy scrutiny. Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson criticized them for being unsuitable for international preparation, and Bangladesh captain Liton Das also questioned their effectiveness as part of Asia Cup preparations.
This criticism has prompted the BCB to take action, with plans now underway to overhaul the Mirpur pitches. Fahim emphasized the board’s focus on high-scoring surfaces in Sylhet, ideally capable of producing 170-180 runs, or even 200 if possible.
“Of course, if we could prepare a 300-run wicket, we would—but that’s not realistic. I visited Sylhet three to four days ago and inspected the pitch. It’s possible to prepare a good batting surface there, as we’ve seen in the past. We still have time, and there’s no reason we can’t build quality pitches. We certainly don’t want a surface where scoring 130-140 is a struggle. Our aim is to have wickets where 170-180 is achievable—ideally even 200,” he added.
