Australia's all-conquering women's cricketers will have a tour left off TV for the first time this decade after networks were unable to secure the broadcast rights to their Bangladesh tour.
Alyssa Healy's side will play Bangladesh in the first of three one-day internationals in Dhaka on Thursday, before three Twenty20s follow in the last scheduled series before this year's World Cup.
The matches will form a key part of preparations for the global tournament, which will be held in Bangladesh in September and October.
Australia's visit to the nation is their first since 2014, with only four members of the current squad having previously played in Bangladesh.
But it won't be traditional viewing in Australia.
Foxtel have not acquired the rights, meaning it will mark Australia's women's first full tour not televised since 2019.
AAP has been told the pay TV network reached out to the Bangladesh Cricket Board, but were not able to secure the rights.
Bangladesh batters Rumana Ahmed and Lata Mondal in action against Australia at the 2022 World Cup. (Aaron Gillions/AAP PHOTOS)
The situation is similar to when the men's team toured Bangladesh in 2021, with those matches also not televised in Australia.
Instead, matches will be streamed via the Bangladesh Cricket Board's YouTube channel.
Only parts of the commentary were in English in women's matches between Bangladesh and India that were streamed on the channel last year.
Australia coach Shelley Nitschke told AAP last week she was hopeful the situation would be resolved.
"Anytime we can get our games broadcast is a win for us," Nitschke said.
"But also to be able to get those games in particular - it's good for the global game, for people to be able to see that Bangladesh are competing and going really well."
Australia are largely entering the unknown with the series against Bangladesh, given the lack of matches broadcast from the nation.
Coaches have relied on at-times grainy streams of men's matches there, as well as the women's series in which Bangladesh drew with India last year.
Slower wickets are expected, with a fit-again Sophie Molineux among the returnees trying to push their World Cup case.
Spinner Sophie Molineux in action for Australia during an ODI against New Zealand. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS )
"We've scraped up a bit of stuff and numbers and things like that around the venue in Dhaka," Nitschke said.
"We don't get there much. There was a possibility we could have gone to the World Cup and that's the first time you were there.
"You wouldn't want that to happen."
Bangladesh will rely heavily on slow bowlers, sending down 44 overs of spin in their last home ODI against Pakistan.
"They play a different style of cricket to us, which probably suits their conditions," Nitshke added.
"They're quite crafty in what they do. They're quite slow through the air and they use the changes of pace really effectively."
Source: Shepparton News
BDST: 1636 HRS, MAR 20, 2024
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