Pakistan not coming

Bangladesh national football team's much-needed match against Pakistan ahead of the SAFF Championship has been cancelled. The Pakistan Football Federation informed the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) on Saturday night of their decision not to send their team due to political unrest and upcoming strikes in Bangladesh, confirmed a BFF official.
“They have just informed us through e-mail last night (Saturday). This is unfortunate, but we have to respect their decision as they have expressed their concerns over the political unrest and the strikes,” informed Abu Nayeem Shohag, general secretary of BFF yesterday.
The Pakistan national team were scheduled to arrive here today and play two matches -- the first one on August 13 against BFF XI and the second one against the Bangladesh national team on September 16. But in the wake of the nationwide strikes called on August 13 and 14 by Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, the PFF took the late decision according to the BFF official.
However, reporting from Karachi an Indian news channel on its website quoted an unnamed PFF official as saying that the BFF was unable to host the series due to unrest, a claim which was rubbished by the BFF.
Whatever the reason, the cancellation of Pakistan's tour means Bangladesh may have to embark on the SAFF Championship campaign without practice matches against any national side. Rene Koster, the assistant coach of the team who is overseeing the training camp on behalf of head coach Lodewijk de Kruif, termed the cancellation of Pakistan's tour as a 'terrible' thing.
“I am shocked at the news. We need to play against national sides. So Pakistan's tour cancellation is a terrible thing,” said Koster yesterday before resuming the training after a two-day Eid break.
“The NTC (National Teams Committee) may meet and decide the next course of action, but given the number of working days left before Bangladesh leave for Nepal, it might be difficult to invite any other team to play here,” informed Shohag, adding that they are trying to arrange a practice match within a couple of days against the foreign players of the Bangladesh Premier League who are currently here.
The head coach of the national side, Lodewijk de Kruif, is expected to arrive on August 13. The team will leave for Nepal on August 24 to acclimatise to the high-altitude conditions. The tournament kicks off on August 31 and Bangladesh will take on hosts Nepal at the Dashrath Stadium on the opening day.