BCB still optimistic amid clouds over SL tour

DHAKA —The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is still optimistic about Sri Lanka tour as they await a response from the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) regarding a revised tour guideline even though the hosts nation made it clear without following strict health guidelines the tour may face postponement.

The BCB cricket operations chairman Akram Khan confirmed today that the national team is not leaving the country tomorrow (Monday) for Sri Lanka as it was scheduled.

He also said that the national players have been given a three-day break from their training camp that started last Sunday.

A 27-member preliminary squad has been training in a bio-secure bubble.

“We had a flight for Sri Lanka tomorrow but we can’t go. We discussed the plan with the coach (Russel Domingo), selectors, CEO (Nizamuddin Chowdhury). We took a three-day break. After three days, Bangladesh will start practicing again. Hopefully we’ll get a revised guideline from Sri Lanka within two-three days,” Akram Khan said here today.

Players however can not be with their families during the three-day break. All the players will return to training following a coronavirus test with the BCB re-creating a bio-secure bubble for the camp.

The BCB however hopes to go on tour at the start of next month.

“If everything remains positive, we hope to go on the tour sometime between the 7th and 10th of the next month. Since they were supposed to have a T20 tournament, it is not happening on time, so they and we have time. We are not bothered about it.”

Uncertainty basically loomed over the series because of quarantine period issue as Sri Lanka health ministry gave a restrict of 14-day strict quarantine which Bangladesh said won’t be possible for them.

Bangladesh wanted a seven-day quarantine with practice facilities, something which Sri Lanka again refused.

While BCB is hopeful about the tour, SLC CEO Ashley de Silva said Thursday that Bangladesh needs to follow the strict health guidelines provided by the Sri Lanka Covid-19 Task Force, otherwise the proposed three-match Test series could be postponed.

“Whatever the feedback we receive from the Covid-19 Task Force, we will share it to the Bangladesh Cricket Board. Once we get the response from them (BCB), and if they are not prepared to follow that guideline that will be given by the Task

Force, then we might call off the tour and reschedule the tour for the same cycle may be for the next year or following year,” said Ashley during an interview to ThePapare.com.

Akram said they are yet to get any official statement from SLC.

“We have not received any official letter or mail. If nothing comes officially, I can’t say anything about what is happening outside,” Akram said.

Akram said they are not desperate about the tour, rather they will do everything to get best performance out of the players.

“We are not desperate for the tour. The thing is, they have time, we have time. They are repeatedly requesting to let us know all things in a few days. It’s not that they don’t want to, but we’re pushing,” he said.

“If we wanted to go, we could have left on their terms. But we have no hurry, the first priority is to keep the players comfortable, not to make them mentally exhausted. It is important for us to get the performance out of them. We will do whatever we need to do so that we can go and perform well,” he concluded.BSS