Riyad focusing on ending quarantine well

Bangladesh national cricket team's 14-day quarantine is coming to an end tomorrow after having landed in New Zealand on February 24th. The Tigers' T20 captain Mahmudullah Riyad was happy with the facilities on offer from NZC and reiterated that they were enjoying practice from March 4 after all three coronavirus tests of the visitors' players returned negative. He however, was not keen on focusing on Kiwis' great form ahead of the series.

The Bangladesh players were all confined to their own rooms for the first three days of self-isolation. After that the players were allowed to walk inside the hotel premises for 30 minutes each day. After the negative Covid-19 tests, they were allowed to train in small groups for two hours each day. However, according to government protocols, there were restrictions and the end of the 14-day quarantine  tomorrow means the Tigers, who have found quarantining difficult in New Zealand, will finally be able to roam around freely and mix with locals.

"Most important thing is that we can practice and the facilities are wonderful and the wickets too. The practice within the two hours availed to us is going very well," Mahmudullah said in a video message.

"We're working on our skill training and fitness. Doing running and working on fielding as well. So, we're enjoying ourselves and inshallah there is one more day of quarantine to go and just hoping that our coronavirus test results will return negative and we will go out."

 The challenge was not just keeping a steady head in quarantine but also analyzing the conditions.

"We know the conditions are challenging. As a team, we have to perform in all three departments," he said.

One thing however that Mahmudullah perhaps wanted to overlook before the start of the ODI series on March 20 is the hosts' form. His motto was to be aggressive.

"Perhaps New Zealand are in very good form at the moment. They have just beaten Australia in a T20 series. So without bringing those things in mind, if we could focus on our own strengths and weaknesses, then it will be good for us. If we can play an aggressive brand of cricket, we will do well," he concluded.