|| Cricfrenzy Correspondent ||

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Wednesday confirmed it has accepted the request of the Bangladesh Cricket Board to reschedule the one-off One-Day International to allow its men’s national team more time to prepare for the second ICC World Test Championship Test, which commences at the National Stadium from 5 April.

The ODI was originally planned for 3 April in Karachi, but will now be held on 1 April at the same venue.with the Bangladesh team now scheduled to arrive on 29 March in Karachi.

Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo earlier said that they need to reschedule the fixture in Pakistan in order to give his charges some more time in Pakistan.

‘’This time, the coaches are getting time to spend with the boys. The tour of Pakistan has been so short. In the last Test match against Pakistan, I actually felt sorry for the players because we had got one day to prepare for the Test match. I have never been involved in any team where we get just one day to prepare to play a Test match. We are planning to get more practice in before our next Test match in Pakistan, during the next leg of the tour which will also include some ODI cricket,’’ said Domingo.

As a result and on the insistence of their head coach, BCB proposed PCB to reschedule their tour so that they can get some more time ahead of the Test series.

‘’We have requested them to so that our boys can get some more time ahead of the Test,’’ BCB cricket operation chairman Akram Khan told Daily Sun on Wednesday.

Bangladesh will arrive in Karachi on March 29, and remain there till the end of the Test match. Pakistan, who won the first Test in Rawalpindi by an innings and 44 runs have an opportunity to jump to the third position in the ICC Test Championship points table if they win in Karachi. Bangladesh, on the other hand, are yet to register a win in the maiden Test Championship cycle.

 

"The PCB is always happy to facilitate wherever it can and will be delighted to host the Bangladesh men's national team for additional days in Karachi," Zakir Khan, the PCB Director - International Cricket, said. "There is already a lot of excitement and buzz about the upcoming international matches and the PCB expects the quality of cricket will live up to the expectations of the fans and followers,’’ he said.

Meanwhile the tour is not yet confirmed as Bangladesh Cricket Board will be holding talks with the Pakistan Cricket Board and will study the situation before deciding on the last phase of their three-part tour of the country.

The talks are in relation to suspected cases of coronavirus after schools in Sindh were directed to remain closed till March 13 during the isolation period.