Bangladesh’s national men’s cricket team will tour Pakistan, scheduled for January-February, only to play T20 matches, no Tests, says the top official of Bangladesh Cricket Board.
“We have informed the Pakistan authorities that we are not willing to stay in the country for long and have proposed a neutral venue for the Tests. But we have no objection to play the T20s there,” Nizam Uddin Chowdhury, CEO of the cricket regulator, told the media on Saturday (Dec 21).
Chowdhury said they, too, wanted the three-match T20 series be held on a specific venue which the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have already been informed of.
“The PCB would take care of the matter considering the overall security concern,” the CEO said without disclosing the name of the particular ground.
Speaking on why Bangladesh is reluctant to stay in Pakistan for long, Chowdhury claimed security experts would understand the issue better.
“We have decided to shorten the tour considering many issues that include limited movement of the players and the staffers, longtime stay at a certain boundary etc,” he added.
The BCB’s decision cleared the air on Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan.
On Dec 18, media reported that the BCB agreed to send their team for a T20 series in Pakistan and proposed a neutral venue for Tests.
According to the Indian news agency PTI, the PCB chief Wasim Akram wrote to the BCB asking them to outline the reasons for not wanting to play Tests in Pakistan as planned in January-February.
"Making it clear that Pakistan would not be playing any of its home matches at any other venue, Wasim said that the BCB would have to come up with an acceptable reason for not accepting Pakistan's invitation," says the PTI report.
Responding queries on the PCB’s letter, BCB CEO Chowdhury said on Saturday that they were in touch with the PCB. “We are trying to convince them. We have explained them our reasons for not playing [Tests].”
Test cricket returned to Pakistan for the first time in ten years with the Sri Lankan team currently locked in a two-Test series.
With Sri Lanka touring the country and ICC also sending its match officials to Pakistan there is no reason for Bangladesh not wanting to play Tests in Pakistan, Wasim told the PTI on Dec 18. "The ICC has accepted our security plan and arrangements but we are still in touch with the BCB officials and will sort this out."
Bangladesh’s security team visited Pakistan in October this year. Following its observations, the BCB sent the national women’s team and the U-16 men’s team to the country in Oct-Nov.
The CEO said they would decide based on the observation made by the October team as well and the Bangladesh High Commission in Pakistan and consult with the ICC officials.
“No new security team will visit the country,” he added.