Bangladesh’s chance to rise to fifth in T20 rankings

Bangladesh have the chance to be a top-five ranked team in the T20 International cricket if they can sweep the upcoming five-match series against New Zealand at home next month.

A 5-0 result will see Bangladesh leapfrog the teams like South and Australia.

Bangladesh's current ranking in T20 is 10 with 234 rating points. The five-match T20 International series against New Zealand will begin on September 1 and the next four matches are scheduled to be held on September 3, 5, 8 and 10.

All matches will be played at 4 pm at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

Bangladesh are now high on confidence following their 4-1 series win over Australia at home. If Bangladesh win the series against New Zealand by the same margin (4-1), they will rise to sixth in the ICC T20 rankings and the rating points will be 244. But if the Tigers want to be one of the top five teams in the rankings, they must whitewash New Zealand. If the result is 5-0 for Bangladesh, their rating points will be 248.

Besides, even if Bangladesh win the series 3-2, they will be the sixth-ranked team with 241 rating points.

This will be the Black Caps first tour in Bangladesh since 2013. The two teams have played only one T20 here in Bangladesh. In that match held in Mirpur in 2013, Bangladesh lost by 15 runs.

Bangladesh have played 10 Twenty20 matches against Kiwis and lost every match. This time it remains to be seen whether Bangladesh can end the win drought. The New Zealand cricket team will arrive in Dhaka on August 24. They will stay in a room quarantine for three days in the hotel before starting their practice session.

Meanwhile, two Kiwi cricketers Colin D Grandhome and Finn Allen have arrived in Dhaka. The two cricketers were playing the Hundred in England but as the series approaches fast, they head to Bangladesh straight from England instead of going to New Zealand first.