National camp after SL tour is finalised

The Bangladesh Cricket Board is gearing up towards a proper resumption of cricket and is looking to start the training camp of the national team keeping the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka in mind.

BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said the two boards are still in discussion about the tour. Sri Lanka Cricket have proposed a three-match T20I series alongside the originally scheduled three-Test series during the tour now expected to take place in late September. 

"We are in constant touch with the Sri Lankan Cricket Board and according to our primary discussion, we were scheduled to play three Tests during the tour. In addition to that they have also proposed that we play a three-match T20I series. We will discuss the matter amongst ourselves and communicate our final decision. We have not finalised the tour schedule yet. We will do that once we have decided what formats we are going to play," Nizamuddin told the media over a video message on Monday.

Meanwhile, cricketers have already started individual practice sessions at the BCB facilities under a special arrangement. The number of cricketers turning up is increasing day by day with the inclusion of women's team players across different venues in the country.

Cricket has remained suspended in the country since mid-March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The BCB, despite discouraging individual training, did provide facilities to cricketers for individual practice sessions. But the board is still waiting to start group training through a national camp, which will be finalised only after the schedule for the Sri Lanka tour is confirmed.

"We will be able to decide on the national camp only after having confirmed the schedule for the Sri Lanka tour. As per the plan at the moment, we will have a national conditioning camp before we leave for Sri Lanka in September," he said.

There has been talk about whether the BCB should also arrange coronavirus tests for cricketers who are training individually. Nizamuddin said the board have been monitoring the cricketers through a health app and the proper protocol will be followed including Covid-19 tests and isolation protocols, if required.

"Once we decide on the schedule of the camp, we will have the cricketers isolated and have them undergo Covid-19 tests. The cricketers will join the camp only after completing the initial part of the protocol," explained Nizamuddin.

The CEO added that the board was looking at other countries, like England, who have successfully restarted cricket and the protocols they have in place so that they can learn from the example and apply it to the Bangladeshi context.