UNB, Dhaka :
Despite the cloud of uncertainty surrounding the Australian cricket team’s much-anticipated tour of Bangladesh, the BCB on Monday announced an unchanged squad from the one that drew a rain-affected 2-Test series against South Africa for the first match of the Walton Test series against Australia.
The first Test of the two-match series against the Aussies is slated for October 9-14 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong. But the schedule may possibly undergo some last minute change, if indeed the series goes ahead at all, as the Australians – acting on a security alert from their foreign ministry – have already put back their original arrival date, which was today
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, who has recovered from jaundice also included in the 14-member squad.
Mushfiqur Rahim has been retained as Test captain, with dashing opening batsman Tamim Iqbal serving as his deputy in the 14-member squad.
Barely 48 hours before the scheduled departure, Cricket Australia (CA) decided not to get on the plane that would have arrived today due to increased security concerns. CA chief executive James Sutherland cited “recent advice from a range of Australian government sources” that identified potential security risks to “Australian interests” in Bangladesh.
Whether the series now proceeds as planned, but with a slightly changed schedule, or gets scrapped altogether will depend on the series of whirlwind meetings held between CA security chief Sean Carroll and a number of Bangladeshi government and security officials in the last two days, including the home minister.
The local officials who met with Carroll assured fool-proof security for the team and the BCB is also quietly confident of sharing more detailed information that can help ease CA’s concerns.
According to the original schedule, the 2nd Test match would be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur from October 17-21. The Australians are also scheduled to play a three-day tour match against a BCB XI from October 3-5 in Fatullah.
Bangladesh team: Mushfiqur Rahim (Captain), Tamim Iqbal (Vice-Captain), Imrul Kayes, Liton Kumar Das, Mominul Hoque, Soumya Sarker, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Jubaer Hossain, Taijul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman and Mohammad Shahid.
Despite the cloud of uncertainty surrounding the Australian cricket team’s much-anticipated tour of Bangladesh, the BCB on Monday announced an unchanged squad from the one that drew a rain-affected 2-Test series against South Africa for the first match of the Walton Test series against Australia.
The first Test of the two-match series against the Aussies is slated for October 9-14 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong. But the schedule may possibly undergo some last minute change, if indeed the series goes ahead at all, as the Australians – acting on a security alert from their foreign ministry – have already put back their original arrival date, which was today
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, who has recovered from jaundice also included in the 14-member squad.
Mushfiqur Rahim has been retained as Test captain, with dashing opening batsman Tamim Iqbal serving as his deputy in the 14-member squad.
Barely 48 hours before the scheduled departure, Cricket Australia (CA) decided not to get on the plane that would have arrived today due to increased security concerns. CA chief executive James Sutherland cited “recent advice from a range of Australian government sources” that identified potential security risks to “Australian interests” in Bangladesh.
Whether the series now proceeds as planned, but with a slightly changed schedule, or gets scrapped altogether will depend on the series of whirlwind meetings held between CA security chief Sean Carroll and a number of Bangladeshi government and security officials in the last two days, including the home minister.
The local officials who met with Carroll assured fool-proof security for the team and the BCB is also quietly confident of sharing more detailed information that can help ease CA’s concerns.
According to the original schedule, the 2nd Test match would be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur from October 17-21. The Australians are also scheduled to play a three-day tour match against a BCB XI from October 3-5 in Fatullah.
Bangladesh team: Mushfiqur Rahim (Captain), Tamim Iqbal (Vice-Captain), Imrul Kayes, Liton Kumar Das, Mominul Hoque, Soumya Sarker, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Jubaer Hossain, Taijul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman and Mohammad Shahid.
