West Indies tour of Bangladesh 2021
For the pandemic like all other cricket playing nations Bangladeshi cricket also suffered a lot. BCB had to cancel all the upcoming series including Sri Lanka series. In between the pandemic Bangladesh missed Ireland & New Zealand away series, Australia home series which is a huge loss for the cricket of that nation. Preparing for Sri Lanka series Mustafizur Rahman & Taskin Ahmed were really hitting the right areas. They were fit and fresh to start again
Keeping the pandemic in mind BCB appointed Covid-19 officers for Bangabandhu T-20 cup. These people are specially trained for Covid-19. They can address all the issues related to covid. BCB is thinking wisely about this step not only for this tournament but for all along.
Like most other cancelled series fans were thinking West Indies series would be postponed or cancelled. Though it is starting from the first week of January. In a recent interview with the chief executive of BCB Nazimuddin Chowdhury Sujon, there is a hope for the fans. He said
” We are keeping the safety part of our first priority. We have appointed Covid-19 officers for that. The BD vs WI series is not cancelled yet. They have to pass the covid test and be negative. This pandemic had already made cricketer’s life hard for a long time now.
They are training hard to get things going again. So we are trying our best to provide them with some cricket possible at least. But as I said, safety is our first priority. You don’t want your people to be ill for playing. But they’re not going to be large quarantine time if they all are covid negative “
In answer to why the Sri Lanka series has been cancelled?
“Basically it was an away series so the quarantine, time & other issues were bothering so it was cancelled. But about the West Indies series, there is nothing like that at all. Both of the cricket boards are very much interested”
One of the chief selector Habibul Bashar Sumon has been covid positive. That is also a concern for BCB. In that issue, he also added ” Sumon Bhai is in hospital and he is improving. We are making sure that the environment will be as secure as possible”
Players are training hard and back to the ground that is a positive sign. Fans are happy by hearing there is something coming for the fans. If West Indies cricket agrees to come then the tour is on. At least a test match is on for the fans. If that happens Bangladesh will play for the first time after the pandemic.
Sujon also said “We are also communicating with other boards to somehow rearrange those series against Australia and so on”
The new full-time ODI captain Tamim Iqbal is excited to get things started again. He will get his main man back. Shakib Al Hasan’s suspension has ended and he is hitting the ball beautifully at Mirpur ground. Musfiqur Rahim is doing fitness training regularly for all the pandemic. He is a very important man for Bangladesh cricket.
A few west Indian players returned home after the IPL in UAE so they will be far more confident than Bangladesh in this regard. But as always two sides will fight their best to start with a winning note. For the past few encounters between these two sides, Bangladesh is far ahead than the West Indies. Fans are excited to see get the ball rolling.
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