Bangladesh men’s national team cricketers will be taken into isolation and then test for Covid-19 before Bangladesh Cricket Board calls for a national conditioning camp for the possible tour of Sri Lanka. The time of call will however depend on confirmation of the tour schedule which is still a work in progress between BCB and Sri Lanka Cricket.
BCB is in discussion with SLC to make the national team tour the island in September-October for a three-match Test series which was originally scheduled in July-August this year.
The two boards are also in discussion to include a three-match T20I series to the tour.
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“We are in communication with Sri Lanka Cricket board. Initially we had discussion on having a three match Test series and later proposal to include a three-match T20I series was included,” said BCB chief executive officer Nizamuddin Chowdhury to the media on Monday.
“We will discuss it [within BCB] and inform of our final decision. We are yet to finalise the tour schedule. We will first need to decide on the formats we would like to play and then work on the schedule,” the BCB high-up added.
A number of Bangladesh national cricketers are now having individual practice sessions at BCB facilities under special arrangement. Cricket has remained suspended in the country since late March this year due to Covid-19 pandemic. BCB’s decision of allowing cricketers for individual practice sessions and intention of making the national team tour Sri Lanka are initial steps in getting cricket back to the field.
However, a national camp will be declared only after the schedule for Sri Lanka tour is confirmed.
“We will be able to decide on the national camp only after having confirmed the schedule for Sri Lanka tour. As per the plan at the moment, we will have a national conditioning camp before we leave for Sri Lanka in September,” said Nizamuddin.
For about four months the players had stayed at home and maintained fitness training schedule provided from the board. It was only last month they were allowed to step on a BCB facility after several requests from the cricketers.
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BCB CEO Nizamuddin informed the cricketers have been kept in check health-wise though an app and that a proper protocol will be followed before the cricketers report to the conditioning camp for the tour of Sri Lanka.
“The cricketers are under observation by our medical team through an app called Covid-19 well being app. We have been to keep a close watch on the cricketers’ health through this app. Once we decide on the schedule of the camp, we will have the cricketers isolated and have them undergo Covid-19 test. The cricketers will join the camp only after completing the initial part of the protocol,” Nizamuddin explained.
