Bangladesh reluctant to tour Pakistan

Bangladesh’s upcoming tour of Pakistan remains uncertain after reports claiming about players’ and coaching staff’s unwillingness to visit the country emerged.

According to details, a Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official has said that the number of days, three weeks, team has to stay in Pakistan is a concern for the visitors.  

“Players aren’t willing to go to Pakistan for a tour spanning over three weeks. The coaching staff have already expressed their disapproval. Three T20Is are ok, as the tour will finish in seven-eight days. But they don’t want to go there for 21 days,” the BCB official told The Indian Express.

It must be noted that Bangladesh’s two-Test series in Pakistan are part of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship and in case of forfeiture, they will lose important points.

“If we don’t tour, that would be because of force majeure. We might request the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to host the series at a neutral venue. If it comes to that, we hope that the ICC would consider our case,” the official added.

Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s supreme body lauded the management for convincing Sri Lanka Cricket to send their men’s national team to Pakistan for the World Test Championship matches. Next month’s matches in Rawalpindi (December 11-15) and Karachi (December 19-23) will be the first time Pakistan will stage Tests since March 2009.

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The BoG acknowledged the PCB’s efforts to engage with Cricket Australia, England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Ireland officials and hoped their hard work will materialise in Australia, England and Ireland sending their national sides in the near future.

The BoG expressed satisfaction that the PCB was in discussions with a number of boards for additional home series in 2020, details of which will be shared as and when those series are confirmed.

The Tigers are scheduled to play a two-match Test series and three T20Is in Pakistan at the beginning of next year.