’Dangerous to underestimate Ireland’: Hathurusingha

Ahead of the first ODI of a three-match series against Ireland in Sylhet, Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha warned against taking the relative newcomers lightly.

Bangladesh has been a strong team in ODIs over the last five to six years, especially at home. They have only lost just one ODI series at home in the last seven years - the most recent one against England. Despite this impressive record, Hathurusingha emphasized that they are not taking the Ireland team lightly.

"It would be dangerous to underestimate them. They are not an easy opponent in any regard. We are treating them as we would England," said Hathurusingha on Friday in Sylhet.

Ireland beat the West Indies in their last tour of the Caribbean and have talented cricketers who can turn the match at any point. Bangladesh has played ten ODIs against Ireland, winning seven of them, with Ireland winning two and one match ending in a no result.

Bangladesh has won all four ODIs played in Sylhet, and four out of eight innings in ODIs at this venue saw a total of more than 300 runs. This means that batters will have a great opportunity to demonstrate their abilities on the surface in Sylhet.

The match will begin at 2 pm (Bangladesh time), and will be live through Gazi TV and T-Sports in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has implemented an online ticketing system for the ODI series. To purchase tickets, fans must first register on the BCB's online platform using their NID and a valid phone number. Additionally, physical tickets can also be purchased from designated booths located in Sylhet.