BSS, Dhaka :
The Bangladesh team members and supporting staff on Saturday underwent a Covid-19 test which is crucial to keep the New Zealand tour alive.
If all the members of the Bangladesh contingent return negative in this test result, which will be available today (Monday) as New Zealand time, the tour will go on as scheduled. But if anyone comes positive, the whole team may enter into another fresh quarantine as the rules set by the New Zealand Heath Ministry. And in that case, the series will be left in limbo as the both of the teams had tight upcoming international cricket schedule. However amid the uncertainty, Bangladesh expected to return to the practice session soon.
“We feel very good. Today we’ve a Covid test, if we all come back negative in this test, then we will go to practice in the next day,” Bangladesh pacer Shoriful Islam said in a video message sent by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Saturday.
After arriving in New Zealand, Bangladesh did mandatory seven-day quarantine but they had to enter into fresh three-day quarantine again when spin bowling Coach Rangana Herath was tested Covid-19 positive.
According to Shoriful, Herath is now doing fine and is expected to come negative in today’s test. He also said the cricketers are thrilled with the idea of being able to return to the field quickly if it is negative. “Everyone is excited about it. We’ve not been practicing for a long time. Pray for us that everyone of us could come negative,” said the right-handed pacer.
“We’ve been divided into two groups. We can come down and meet two or threetimes every day. We can speak each other during the meeting, maintaining the social distance. It always feels good to see each other’s faces. Everyone is hoping for something better this time. We are actually hoping for the best,” Shoriful remarked.
The fate of this series will be deciced only after getting the result of the Covid-19 test, according to the BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon.
