Last event’s quarter-finalists Bangladesh will play their opening two matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 at The Oval in London when they will take on South Africa and New Zealand on 2 and 5 June, respectively, the International Cricket Council confirmed today.
Bangladesh’s match against New Zealand will be one of their two day/night fixtures in the 46-day tournament, which will be played on a single-league format with the top four sides progressing to the 9 and 11 July semi-finals. The final will be staged at Lord’s on 14 July.
When the World Cup was last staged in England and Wales in 1999, Bangladesh had defeated Pakistan at Northampton, a victory which later turned out to be the cornerstone of their Test status. In next year’s event, the two sides will lock horns under Lord’s floodlights on 5 July in their final league matches.