Bangladeshi cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2020–21

The Bangladesh cricket team were scheduled to tour Sri Lanka from October 2020 to play three Test matches.[1] The Test series would have formed part of the inaugural 2019–21 ICC World Test Championship.[2] Originally, the tour was scheduled to take place in July and August 2020,[3][4] but it was postponed to October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6] In September 2020, the tour was postponed again, after both boards could not agree on the quarantine requirements for the series.[7][8] In December 2020, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) were considering touring Sri Lanka in April 2021 to play two Test matches.[9]

Bangladeshi cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2020–21
 
  Sri Lanka Bangladesh
Test series

Background

In May 2020, Nizamuddin Chowdhury, CEO of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), confirmed that they were in discussions with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) with regards to playing the series.[10] Nazmul Hasan, President of the BCB, suggested that their priorities are ICC events, and will wait to see what the ICC and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) does first.[11] However, on 24 June 2020, the tour was postponed due to the pandemic.[12] In July 2020, both cricket boards were looking at the possibility of rescheduling the tour for October 2020.[6] Also in July 2020, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed it was their priority to reschedule the matches, along with the five other World Test Championship series that had been postponed due to the pandemic.[13]

In August 2020, both cricket boards were looking to play a combination of Test matches and Twenty20 International (T20I) matches, with a possible start date in October 2020.[14] On 12 August 2020, the BCB confirmed they would travel to Sri Lanka, leaving for the country on 23 September 2020.[15] On 12 September 2020, Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed that the Bangladesh team would need to quarantine for one week on arrival in the country before they can begin to train.[16] The following day, Sri Lanka Cricket increased the quarantine period to 14 days,[17] with the BCB disagreeing to the length of time their players would be quarantine and the lack of preparation time ahead of the first Test match.[18] In response, Sri Lanka Cricket suggested that the quarantine could be split into two phases, with seven days done in Bangladesh, and the remaining seven days done once the team arrives in Sri Lanka.[19]

On 19 September 2020, Bangladesh named a preliminary squad of 27 players to begin training ahead of the tour.[20] However, the following day, one player had to isolate after showing COVID-19 symptoms, along with anyone who came into close contact with him.[21] On 28 September 2020, the tour was postponed again as both boards could not decide on quarantine requirements for the series. SLC insisted on a 14-day quarantine following guidelines from the Sri Lanka government, while the BCB insisted on a shorter length.[7]

In December 2020, the BCB began talks with Sri Lanka Cricket tour play a short tour in April 2021.[22] Instead of the original three Tests that were scheduled to be played, the revised tour would have two Test matches, with the possibility of some white-ball matches as well.[23]

References
  1. "Bangladesh v Sri Lanka three-Test series to begin on October 24". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  2. "Men's Future Tours Programme" (PDF). International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  3. "Schedule for inaugural World Test Championship announced". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  4. "Full schedule of Bangladesh cricket team in 2020 including Test series against Australia with Shakib Al Hasan banned". The National. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  5. "Bangladesh tour of Sri Lanka postponed". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  6. "Bangladesh tour of Sri Lanka could be rescheduled to October". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  7. "Bangladesh tour of Sri Lanka postponed again as stalemate over quarantine continues". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  8. "Bangladesh's tour of Sri Lanka postponed again". Sport Star. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  9. "BCB consider two-Test tour of Sri Lanka in April". CricBuzz. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  10. "Cricket might resume in Sri Lanka in July with India, Bangladesh series". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  11. "BCB President not convinced about Sri Lanka tour yet". The Papare. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  12. "Bangladesh postpone Sri Lanka tour due to Covid-19 pandemic". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  13. "World Test Championship progressing as planned, says ICC". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  14. "Bangladesh could tour Sri Lanka for Tests and additional three T20Is in October". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  15. "Bangladesh to go to Sri Lanka on September 23". BD Crictime. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  16. "BCB CEO: SLC says Bangladesh need one week quarantine in Sri Lanka". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  17. "SLC restrictions on touring party puts BCB in dilemma". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  18. "BCB president Nazmul Hassan says no to SLC's 14-day quarantine requirement". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  19. "Sri Lanka Cricket proposes split quarantine to Bangladesh Cricket Board". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  20. "Mahmudullah and Rubel hossain in expanded Bangladesh training squad for possible Sri Lanka tour". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  21. "Bangladesh player shows 'classical Covid-like symptoms', isolated from training camp". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  22. "Bangladesh Cricket Board contemplate two-Test tour of Lanka in April". India Blooms. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  23. "BCB contemplate two-Test tour of Sri Lanka in April". UNI India. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
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