Bangladesh’s cricket team will leave for Pakistan earlier than planned amid social and political turmoil in the country, which has seen unrest since the uprising of Sheikh Hasina’s government.
Former Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus has been tasked with leading the interim government until new elections are held in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh national cricket team will leave for Pakistan on August 12, five days before they are scheduled to take part in a two-match Test series in Pakistan.
The series is part of the ICC World Test Championship which will be played later this month. The first Test will be played from August 21 to 25 in Rawalpindi. The second Test will be played in Karachi from August 30 to September 3.
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The Pakistan Cricket Board had earlier promised to provide all necessary security for the Bangladeshi players for an extended period by providing all necessary training facilities in Rawalpindi due to the ongoing civil unrest in Bangladesh.
However, the coaching staff has opted not to take part in training sessions after embassies imposed travel restrictions due to the political situation in the country.
The contingent of foreign staff includes names like head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, bowling coach Andre Adams, assistant coach Nic Pothas, spin consultant Mushtaq Ahmed, batting coach David Hemp and strength and conditioning coach Nathan Kelly.
“We cannot force them (foreign coaching staff) to attend training sessions due to travel restrictions. The fact that several police stations in the city are still not operational is a major concern. We are working to get the team to Pakistan earlier,” a BCB official told Cricbuzz.
Bangladesh is eighth in the WTC points table and Pakistan fifth. Both teams have lost their respective Test series. Bangladesh is on a three-match losing streak and Pakistan lost its previous Test series against Sri Lanka.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board further said that they are likely to contact Shakib Al Hasan, who is currently playing in the Global T20 league in Canada.
He further said that amid the current political tension in Bangladesh, Shakib no longer has any political connections and is now just an international cricketer.
Bangladesh cricket team awaits decision on Shakib Al Hasan
Shahriar Nafees further confirmed that Shakib lost his political position after the riots broke out and is now just a cricketer. Shakib was an MP in the Awami League government, which has fallen since Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country on August 6.
“Shakib Al Hasan’s term is till August 12. On August 13, he is supposed to return to the country and inform us. He still has two or three matches left and we will be in touch with him to try to know his plans. Shakib is a cricketer now. Last night, on the orders of the President, Shakib is no longer an MP,” said Shahriar Nafees, head of cricket operations at the BCB.
Meanwhile, the biggest concern with Shakib is whether he can play the longer format after playing in T20 cricket leagues in recent times.
A BCB official also hinted at the same issue while talking about Shakib’s possible arrival in Pakistan.
“Before it was just a matter of whether he [Shakib] “He could come to Bangladesh and then travel to Pakistan. He has been playing cricket but in a format where he has to score quickly in a short time. And while he knows how to play longer matches, there are concerns whether he can handle the physical demands of Test cricket,” the BCB official told the Daily Star, the local Bangladeshi newspaper.
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