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The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has planned to resume cricket gradually as they want the players to prepare for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour despite the uncertainty looming over the tour due to the Covid-19 situation.
The Sri Lanka Cricket Board is ready to host the tour, claiming that they are so far successful in preventing the further spread of the deadly virus that caused mayhem around the world.
As of Sunday, Sri Lanka reported just 1643 cases and 11 deaths from the Covid-19. However, among them 811 people has already recovered.
The Lankan cricket board has already started practice session with 13 players in a bid to gear up for the upcoming series.
While the Sri Lanka offered Bangladesh to visit the country in scheduled time, the BCB is yet to take any decision this but the board would keep the players ready as part of brining cricket back to the ground, said CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury, reports BSS.
“There is a plan to bring back cricket as early as possible and the groundwork has started already,” Chowdhury said on Sunday.
“Even though there is no decision on Sri Lanka tour, which would depend on many things, we want the players to be ready and start their usual activities. Currently, the players and coaching staffs have been in touch through online and devising a plan to how they could resume the cricket,” he added.
Chowdhury said that they haven’t taken any decision yet on Sri Lanka and it would entirely depend on the permission of the government.
“The BCB is yet to take decision on this but it’s not that only the BCB’s decision will be enough for this. The government’s permission is also needed to make this tour,” he said.
“But whatever it is, the players should be ready. BCB always wants to ensure that players would be ready regardless of any situation.”
He however disclosed their roadmap of bringing cricket back: “The concerned people are already aware of the health guidelines and doing their job by maintaining some rules. The safety of the players and the other concerned people are given top most priority.
We are mulling for Covid-19 test for everyone. The stadium and the equipment, which is used by players and other coaching staffs, are being cleaned regularly.”
He further said the BCB would allow players to have individual practice session when they will think the situation is in favour.
“After some days, we’ll allow players to have individual practice session in the stadium. Three players can practice by maintaining social distance at a time. We are also keen to resume cricket but we are not willing to take any risk,” he concluded.