Three members of the Bangladesh national team will not travel to Pakistan for the upcoming three-match T20I series, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed on Wednesday.
Pace bowler Nahid Rana, strength and conditioning coach Nathan Kelly, and fielding coach James Pamment have all opted out of the tour due to personal security concerns.
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BCB’s cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin Fahim told reporters at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium that Rana was particularly affected by his experience during the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which coincided with the cross-border conflict between India and Pakistan earlier this month.
“Nahid Rana expressed discomfort over traveling to Pakistan after his PSL experience. He was in the country during the tense days of the India-Pakistan conflict and does not feel safe returning,” Fahim said.
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Kelly and Pamment have also cited similar reasons. All three will return home after the UAE series concludes.
The BCB, following government clearance, recently confirmed Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan from May 28 to June 1.
However, players and staff were given the option to opt out if they felt unsafe.
The rest of the squad will travel to Lahore from the UAE on May 25.