Players, coaching staff apprehensive about long tour to Pakistan, says BCB president

After a few weeks of speculation about Bangladesh tour of Pakistan which is supposed to happen in January-February next year, BCB president has made it clear that their cricket team is concerned to tour Pakistan for a long tour.

Bangladesh were scheduled to play three T20Is and two-match Test series in the tour but with players and coaching staff raising concern and sounding apprehensive about the tour, the BCB chief have announced they are ready to play three T20Is which could be wrapped up within a weeks time.

"After talking to the players and coaching staff, what I understood is that there is no opportunity [to tour Pakistan for a Test series]. We have already let them know what we want. We told them that we want to play T20 only, I mean, we are trying to send our T20 team. If they agree, we can try to get the government's clearance. It's not the issue of the board because it's a security issue, so the government will have the final say," said Nazmul, reported Cricbuzz.  

BCB has earlier requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for playing the two-test matches in a neutral venue. However, PCB has rejected the compromising call. Nazmul added that the BCB officials are well aware of the security measures and termed it as satisfactory, but he also mentioned that they cannot ignore the players and coaches concern where they are reluctant for a long tour.

"There is no doubt about their security system. The feedback that we got [from the security agency] that the security system is good. Our Women's team and aged level team toured there and they also gave us positive feedback about the security,” Nazmul opined.

Moreover, he mentioned that extra security measures and continuous surveillance may lead to a “suffocating environment”. Further, he also talked about how the family and friends of the players and staff were concerned. 

"But our coaching staff is reluctant to go. Someone said they may go for just short visit. As I said earlier, the players said that their parents, relatives and friends are concerned and requested them not to go. Secondly, the over cautious security plan that will be in place will create a suffocating environment. So how long you can stay in a suffocating environment?” concluded Nazmul.