Today it was the turn of domestic cricket within Bangladesh to receive its strongest indicator yet of a coming resumption. Although no date was announced, cricket supremo Nazmul Hasan Papon, said this to the media himself Monday.
The last competitive cricket match held in Bangladesh was back in March. All the cricketing activities were on hold completely or on a limited scale since. Professional cricketers were stuck at home for months until they started an individual training programme ahead of Eid-ul-Adha which is still going forward.
Many cricketers along with the Cricket Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) have previously urged BCB to provide the facilities so that domestic cricket can make a comeback. But considering the Covid-19 situation of the country, BCB adopted a slow-moving policy.
“We are working on bringing the game of cricket back in the field. We are not sure if we can invite an international team to Bangladesh, but we definitely will start domestic cricket soon. We’ll reveal the plan in details soon,” Nazmul said on Monday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
BCB revealed the decision right after the Sri Lanka-Bangladesh series went into jeopardy. Bangladesh team were due to fly for Sri Lanka later this month. But the Sri Lanka Cricket said they are unable to provide the facilities BCB sought earlier.
BCB came to a decision that they’ll tour Sri Lanka if and only if they are allowed it would seem to dictate the itinerary, and even the level of precautions that they would be willing to face in the context of the pandemic.
As per the Sri Lanka government’s regulation, everyone who enters the island nation is needed to maintain a strict quarantine period of 14-days. The same length as many other countries. But the BCB asked to trim this period to seven days - an extraordinary request. Yet even the whole tour is now being said to be imperilled by this brattish stance from BCB.
Also read: Sri Lanka tour not possible now: BCB chief