Ready to send team to Pakistan only for T20I series, states Nizamuddin Chowdhury
Bangladesh Cricket Board’s(BCB) chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury has revealed that they are okay to send their national men’s team to Pakistan for a T20I series next year. Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had proposed to the Bangladesh board for both a Test and T20I series,
In response to the PCB’s official invite, the BCB, on Wednesday December 18, revealed that while they are ready to tour Pakistan for a three-match T20I series, a Test series in Pakistan is far from question. As earlier understood, the BCB was looking forward to a split series wherein the T20I series is held in Pakistan and the Test engagement to be done at a neutral venue. According to Nizamuddin, this proposal by the BCB has been communicated to their Pakistan counterparts.Â
"We are with Pakistan always in their initiative to revive cricket there and so at this moment we want to send the national male team for the three-match T20 series only. At this moment we want the two-match Test series to be held in a neutral venue and Pakistan can decide where they want to play," said Nizamuddin, according to Cricbuzz.
Earlier, a government-arranged high-level security team of Bangladesh had visited Pakistan to carry out a security check and had been satisfied with it. Currently, the Sri Lankan team is in Paksitan for a two-match Test series. Now, according to the BCB, they won’t be swayed by the Sri Lankan government’s decision and according to what the Bangladesh government wants, they can only stay as long as the T20I series lasts. While a Test series would be too long a stay.
"Since Pakistan played in a neutral venue, we think it won't be a problem for them to arrange the Test series in a place other than Pakistan. At this moment we actually can't stay there for a longer period of time. We have already communicated them in this regard and we are still in touch with them. But still there is no reply," he added.
PCB chief executive Wasim Khan on receiving the response from BCB has sent a strongly-worded letter to the Bangladesh board asking them to outline the reasons behind their decision to not play Tests when they tour next.
"The BCB has informed us that they would like to play three T20I matches in Pakistan but for now they don't want to play Test matches. The ICC has accepted our security plan and arrangements but we are still in touch with the BCB officials and will sort this out," Wasim was quoted in PTI on Wednesday.Â