Bangladesh’s recently postponed tour of Sri Lanka for a Test series is likely to be rescheduled to October 2020 with the talks between the Bangladesh Cricket Board and Sri Lanka Cricket continues regarding the same amid the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.
Originally, Bangladesh was scheduled to visit the Island country in the month of July for a three-match Test series as part of the ICC World Test Championship – Tiger’s first three-match red-ball series in six years, but it had to be postponed due to the Coronavirus crisis.
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With the T20 World Cup 2020 now postponed, BCB and SLC both are keen to play the Test series as early as possible in the global T20 event’s window in October – which could clash with the IPL 2020.
According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, both cricket boards are keen on having the Test series as early as possible and even the BCB is also contemplating sending its high-performance team to Sri Lanka for a longer period as the Tigers haven’t trained for the last four months due to COVID-19 pandemic.
BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said: “The ICC's announcement of the three major tournaments has provided what window we can work with, as now that we know that the tournament dates are fixed, we can work around with our schedule. Both boards are positive about the Test series going ahead later this year.
He further added, “We are in talks with SLC. Sri Lanka is in a better condition [in terms of Covid-19 caseload] than any of the other sub-continent countries at the moment, and since the situation is not favorable here, we are more keen on the away matches.”
Meanwhile, the BCB high-performance programme's chairman Naimur Rahman said that the players in the high-performance mix are also looking forward to a tour of Sri Lanka. He also said the board is looking to hold a training camp in Dhaka before the series.
Rahman added, “We are first trying to figure out how we can start the training camp in Dhaka. We were supposed to start in March or April, and then tour Sri Lanka in July. But I think once we have the home training sorted, we will discuss the Sri Lanka tour, where we can stay a bit longer to have more training days.”
(With ESPNcricinfo Inputs)
