Complexity still remains around T20 series
image:- Ratan Gomez
|| CF Correspondent ||
There was confusion around Bangladesh team’s next tour to Sri Lanka since the last two weeks when the issue of the rescheduling series between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and other cricketing nations came to the fore.
A big question was among the issues will Bangladesh play any additional matches of the series beside their scheduled three-match Test series? If it’s yes, then which format of games are being added to the existing number of Tests which was a part of International Cricket Council (ICC)-World Test Championship (WTC)?
The series was initially slated to be held in July. With a package of facilities, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) invited the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to send their respective team to Sri Lanka to play the series with them.
Unfortunately, none of the board started their cricketing activities yet. It’s far away from allowing their cricketers to have individual or small group training sessions at the field. Then how they will play going to Sri Lanka, resulting in both teams remaining reluctant to tour Sri Lanka.
After the BCCI, the BCB and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) mutually postponed their series in the wake of the escalating of the contagious coronavirus pandemic.
But when they both saw the cancelation of the two major events of the ICC World T20 and T20 Asia Cup, the cricket boards started discussing rescheduling the tour. Finally they could have done it successfully.
So far, it has been heard from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials, who were in contact with Sri Lanka for so long that they proposed to play an additional series whether T20 or not one-day format of games.
Finally it was learnt from BCB Chief Executive (CEO) Nizamuddin Chowdhury that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) proposed to play a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh during their visit to the island nation.
“We got a proposal from Sri Lanka Cricket to play a three-match T2oI series beside the important Test series. We are yet to decide whether it will be added to the Test series. And if the T20 series adds to the tour, then when it will be played before or after the scheduled Test series,” said Nizamuddin Chowdhury.
But Bangladesh is seeking to play it before the Test series because they want to pick Shakib Al Hasan for the games. If a T20 series is held, they are trying to play it before the series. Bangladesh cricketers are yet to start small group or team practice after having their individual sessions for which they are trying to play it prior to Test so that playing T20 series they can at least get playing experience for the Test series.
Along with that, BCB CEO also said that the SLC proposed them to play a T20I series reducing a Test from the three-Test series.
“The proposal of playing a T20 series was always from the SLC but we didn’t talk about it,” the BCB CEO said.
But why Bangladesh makes delay to accept SLC proposal, Nizaamuddin said, “SLC is seeking to play two Tests in place of three Tests. But we did not agree to play one Test less than the scheduled series.”
However, SLC secretary Mohan De Silva said while talking to NTV and another channel, “Yes, they are (Bangladesh) always welcome. On September 24, they will probably reach here (Sri Lanka) probably.”
“Along with three Test matches, they want to play three T20Is. We’re negotiating on that. We offered them back to reduce a Test match and play three T20Is. Both boards are negotiating on that,” De Silva also said.
