‘We are not planning to have a bigger squad’
Despite the rising number of coronavirus infections across the country over the last one month which forced the government to impose a seven-day nationwide lockdown and prompted the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to suspend the third round of the Bangabandhu National Cricket League, the board is positive about the national team's upcoming tour of Sri Lanka this month.
The Tigers are scheduled to travel to the island nation on April 12.
It has been learnt that the BCB has asked the players to stay at home and that the selectors are going to announce the squad for the two-match Test series, part of the ICC test Championship, within a couple of days.
As the cricketers returned from their tour of New Zealand on Sunday, the members of the Test side will not hold a training camp in Bangladesh ahead of the tour.
"We are planning to announce the Test squad for the Sri Lanka tour within the next couple of days. However, we are not planning to have a bigger squad this time like we picked for the New Zealand tour. We are confident about having Mushfiqur Rahim, who got injured and was unable to take part in the T20I series in New Zealand, recovered fully ahead of the Sri Lanka tour," selector Habibul Bashar told media yesterday.
According to sources, the players are keen to travel to Sri Lanka for the upcoming series where the visitors will play an inter-squad two-day warm-up game on April 17 and 18 at the Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Ground in Katunayake.
Both Tests will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, with the first Test scheduled to start on April 21 and the second one to begin on April 29.
Sri Lanka Cricket backtracked from its decision of imposing a strict quarantine protocol, which had forced the BCB to cancel a planned tour to the island nation in September last year.
Quarantine protocols were later relaxed for a touring England side in January this year where the visitors were asked to isolate for three days after landing in Sri Lanka before being allowed to practise among themselves in the next four days.
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