COVID-19: Bangladesh's tour of Sri Lanka postponed

Colombo, June 24:  Bangladesh's tour of Sri Lanka, which was scheduled to take place in July, has been postponed. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said on Wednesday that it was informed by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that their players are yet to be ready to take part in an international series.

"Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce that the Bangladesh Cricket Board has informed SLC that a conducive environment has still not arrived for their players to take part in an international cricket series, purely due to the lack of preparation for its players, caused by the Covid–19 pandemic," said the SLC in its statement.

"Hence, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and Sri Lanka Cricket have agreed that Bangladesh National Team's tour of Sri Lanka which was scheduled to be held during July 2020 will not take place and will be deferred to a mutually planned later date."

The International Cricket Council (ICC) also tweeted the development. "Bangladesh's tour to Sri Lanka, scheduled to take place next month, has been postponed," it said in its tweet.

The tour was scheduled to consist of three Test matches spread over July and August. Earlier, Bangladesh's upcoming Test series against New Zealand in August-September was also postponed.

"In the present COVID-19 pandemic scenario, hosting a full cricket series in August 2020 will be a challenge in terms of preparations and we cannot take chances with the safety and health of players, support staff and related stakeholders," said BCB chief executive officer Nizamuddin Chowdhury in a press release as quoted by Dhaka Tribune.

"Under these circumstances, BCB and NZC have felt that the best way forward would be to defer the series. We realise that this will be hugely disappointing for the players and officials of both teams, not to mention the fans of the two nations but I must thank NZC for its understanding and for recognising the rationale behind such a decision," he added.

Bangladesh and New Zealand were supposed to play a two-match Test series that is part of ICC World Test Championship.