History beckons for the Netherlands as they are set to travel for their first-ever bilateral series on Bangladeshi soil. The Dutch side will touch down in Dhaka on 26 August before heading straight to Sylhet, where they will play three T20Is on 30 August, 1 September and 3 September.
Though the Netherlands have previously featured in global tournaments in Bangladesh most memorably the 2014 ICC T20 World Cup (then known as WT20), when Netherlands pulled off one of the best ever chases in T20 World Cup history. Netherlands stunned Ireland by scaling down a target of 190 in the required 13.5 overs and stormed into the Super 10s. Later in the tournament, the Netherlands outplayed the much-fancied England side too.
The upcoming series will be the first time they have been invited for a white-ball series in Bangladesh.
A rare full-member challenge
Opportunities to tour South Asia remain limited for Netherlands, making this series an invaluable chance to test themselves in conditions far removed from European wickets. With a three-day training camp planned in Sylhet ahead of the opener, acclimatising quickly will remain a challenge.
Building towards T20 World Cup 2026
The series was finalised after India postponed their scheduled August tour of Bangladesh, leaving a gap in the calendar that the Netherlands were quick to fill. Initial talks were held with Nepal, but the Dutch board moved swiftly to secure the fixtures, turning a stopgap arrangement into an important developmental opportunity.
The tour provides valuable experience for the Dutch team, especially in subcontinental conditions, ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka next year.
The Netherlands recently qualified for the T20 World Cup after winning a European qualifying tournament.
Head-to-Head record
The head-to-head record is dominated by Bangladesh, who have won four of the five T20Is between the two nations.
The only bilateral series so far dates back to 2012, when Bangladesh toured the Netherlands for two T20Is.
