T20I series is our best offer, BD tells Pakistan

KARACHI: Bangladesh’s cricket authorities on Sunday found another excuse to shy away from a two-Test series in Pakistan: The prevailing Iran-US tensions.

Nazmul Hassan, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president, told reporters in Dhaka on Sunday that following a board meeting it has been decided that Bangladesh can only tour Pakistan briefly for a three-match Twenty20 International series starting later this month.

Hassan said that BCB was told by Bangladesh’s government that it can send the country’s national team to Pakistan for a “short” tour due to the Iran-US tensions. BCB’s announcement will certainly upset Pakistan’s cricket chiefs, who had made it clear that they won’t settle for anything less than a two-Test series on home soil against Bangladesh.

However, Hassan minced no words in saying that the best his board can offer Pakistan is a T20I series. “We are clear cut, but let’s see how they react,” he commented. “As far as security is concerned, T20 is a better option.

“They should be happy that we still want to go to play T20s. We just wanted rescheduling [of the Tests], not saying we won’t tour. “This is the best thing we can offer to Pakistan,” he stressed.

A senior Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official told ‘The News’ on Sunday night that they were yet to hear anything officially from BCB on the issue. “We have just heard their point of view through media reports and will wait for their official reply before issuing our statement,” the official said.

Reacting on BCB chief’s concern, the official did point out that in its letter sent to BCB, PCB had addressed the issue of shortening the duration of the Bangladesh team in Pakistan by dividing the Test series in two segments.

“We have told BCB that their team will have the option of returning home for a few days after playing the first Test in Karachi and then return for the second Test in Rawalpindi. That should address their concern about staying in Pakistan for a longer duration,” he said.

Agencies add: The BCB’s citation of rising tensions “in the Middle East” as a leading cause of it not embarking on a longer tour would appear to rule out hosting the Test series in the UAE - Pakistan’s home for the bulk of their home commitments over the past decade - as well. But the PCB is adamant the series be held within Pakistan, so that may be a moot point anyway.

The proposed tour features three T20Is, in Lahore on January 23, 25 and 27, followed by two Tests, originally slated for Rawalpindi and Karachi. But then the BCB said it wanted to split the series, playing the T20Is in Pakistan and the Tests at a neutral venue.

Bangladeshi sides have toured Pakistan in the recent past, but the senior men’s team hasn’t done so since playing a five-match ODI series there in 2007-08. Seven years ago, they were close to deciding on a tour to Pakistan, only for the BCB to pull out shortly after the decision to tour was taken.