Sports Desk:

Bangladesh ‘A’ team is all set to compete in the 2025 edition of the Top End T20 Series, scheduled to take place from 14 to 24 August in Darwin, Australia, the Northern Territory Cricket confirmed on Tuesday.

Finishing as runners-up after falling short against Adelaide Strikers Academy in the final in the previous edition as the High Performance XI, Bangladesh will now be represented by the ‘A’ side.

Chief Executive Officer of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Nizam Uddin Chowdhury confirmed Bangladesh’s participation and emphasized the value of this tournament in the board’s long-term plans for player development.

“We’re pleased to be returning to Darwin for the 2025 Top End T20 Series, which has quickly become an important fixture in our calendar. Playing in Australian conditions against quality opposition offers valuable experience for our emerging players and supports our broader development objectives. Our continued partnership with Northern Territory Cricket reflects a shared commitment to building strong international ties through the game,” he said.

The 2025 edition will feature 11 teams, including four international sides. Alongside Bangladesh ‘A’, Pakistan Shaheens (Pakistan ‘A’) and Nepal have also confirmed their participation.

Gavin Dovey, CEO of Northern Territory Cricket, welcomed the teams and highlighted the tournament’s growing global appeal.

“We are once again delighted to welcome our good friends the PCB and BCB to Darwin where it is an honour and privilege to host two genuine giants of the game. Pakistan (255 million) and Bangladesh (170 million) are two of the top ten most populous countries in the world, and with the addition of Nepal (30 million), the Top End T20 Series offers a serious platform in which to showcase this incredible part of the country,” he stated.

With the remaining teams and fixtures are yet to be fixed, Bangladesh ‘A’ will kick off their campaign against Pakistan Shaheens on 14 August at the TIO Stadium in Darwin.