Tigers' SL tour facing postponement over BCB's unreasonable demand

Bangladesh's proposed Sri Lanka tour for a three-match Test series may have to be rescheduled once again as Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) CEO Ashley Silva informed they are bound to abide by the regulations of the national task force formed to prevent a Covid-19 epidemic in the country.

Ashley Silva said they would get a health guideline from the Covid-19 task force for touring sides and they will pass it to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). If BCB agrees to abide by that, the tour will continue. But if BCB says no, the tour must see another change in the schedule.

"Whatever the feedback which we would get from the Covid-19 task force, will be shared with the BCB. If BCB is not prepared to abide by those guidelines given by the task force, then we would be compelled to call off the tour and reschedule the tour during the same cycle maybe for next year or the following year," Ashley told a local media.

Sri Lanka is one of the most successful countries in the world to control the spread of the deadly virus successfully. The Covid-19 task force of the island nation made it mandatory for everyone who enters Sri Lanka to maintain a strict 14-day quarantine.

However, SLC honorary secretary Mohan De Silva said they are expecting Bangladesh will continue with the tour. He said: "We have done well to control the pandemic. To keep it up, we have to follow the health guidelines created by the Covid-19 task force. The authorities are encouraging to resume international cricket at home. We expect Bangladesh will understand and continue with the tour."

The BCB had asked SLC to reduce the period of quarantine to seven days for the Bangladesh team. But the health department of Sri Lanka along with the task force refused this two weeks ago. Now, SLC is negotiating with the task force to provide the guidelines for Bangladesh team so that the tour can take place in time.

During a media interaction on September 14, BCB president Nazmul Hassan said that they will not tour Sri Lanka unless the quarantine period is trimmed to seven days. The BCB CEO, Nizamuddin Chowdhury, has said the same.

The tour was originally supposed to take place in July-August this year, but due to the Covid-19 situation, had to be rescheduled for October-November. This series is a part of the ongoing World Test Championship. Bangladesh have played a total of three Tests of this event and lost all of them.