BCB eye Ireland Test at Chelmsford in 2027

Bangladesh Cricket Board officials expressed hope on November 11 that a one-off Test against Ireland at Chelmsford County Cricket Ground will be formalised for 2027. No official announcement has yet come from Cricket Ireland or the England and Wales Cricket Board, though discussions between the boards are understood to be ongoing. The proposed fixture would sit alongside a confirmed one-off Test against England at Lord’s, which runs from May 28 to June 1, 2027.

The Lord’s Test will mark Bangladesh’s first appearance at the ground in 17 years, their previous visit having come in 2010. The Tigers have toured England for Tests on two prior occasions, in 2005 and again in 2010, making the 2027 trip only their third Test tour of the country. Both the confirmed Lord’s fixture and the hoped-for Chelmsford match fall within the ICC’s Future Tours Programme and carry implications for the ICC Test Championship standings.

“ECB announced their fixture against which is scheduled at Lords and we are hoping Cricket Ireland will also announce their fixture of the one-off Test series at some point taking the discussion between the two boards into consideration. Until it is announced by them we cannot confirm it but we certainly are hopeful about the Test series against Ireland at Chelmsford,” a BCB official said as quoted by Cricbuzz.

What is the status of the proposed Ireland Test at Chelmsford?

Chelmsford County Cricket Ground has previously hosted One Day Internationals but has never staged a Test match. Should the Bangladesh versus Ireland fixture be confirmed and go ahead, it would be the first time the venue has hosted the longest format of the game, representing a historic milestone for the Essex ground.

The BCB’s position remains one of cautious optimism. Exact dates for the Chelmsford fixture have not been specified in any confirmed source, and the match is subject to a formal announcement by Cricket Ireland before it can be treated as part of Bangladesh’s 2027 schedule.

How does the 2027 England tour fit into Bangladesh’s broader schedule?

The 2027 England tour forms part of a two-match arrangement between England and Bangladesh under the ICC’s Future Tours Programme, with Bangladesh also set to host England for a return fixture. The Lord’s Test is therefore one leg of a bilateral series that has direct relevance to both sides’ ICC Test Championship campaigns.

The ECB’s decision to schedule the Lord’s Test is also linked to England’s preparation ahead of the 2027 Ashes at home, with the Bangladesh fixture providing a useful warm-up in that context. Together, the confirmed Lord’s Test and the hoped-for Chelmsford match against Ireland would make the 2027 England visit one of the most substantial tours Bangladesh have undertaken in the country, spanning two different opponents and two historic venues.