Ahead of the tour of Sri Lanka for three Tests, 16 cricketers started practice at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Sunday instead of 27 as 10 cricketers were sent in isolation with the suspicion of COVID-19.
A total of 27 cricketers were supposed to join the camp, but 16 cricketers were present on the first day. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) says 10 cricketers are in isolation with the suspicion of COVID-19, reports UNB.
BCB has earlier said the cricketers would undergo a total of four different COVID-19 tests before flying for the island nation. In the first test, Saif Hassan, the left-handed opener was the only cricketer who was found positive for COVID-19. He took another test last week and returned positive again.
As per the advice of the medical department, BCB decided to keep the cricketers, who came to the contact with who are showing COVID-like symptoms, in isolation, and they will undergo another test on 22 September.
“Out of the 27 cricketers for the Bangladesh team tested on 18 and 19 September 2020, two cases have been identified as ‘borderline negative’ with one of them showing classical COVID-19-like symptoms. As per the COVID-19 management guideline and to maintain the Bio-Secure Environment standards, the symptomatic individual along with all the players who have been in close contact with him recently, have been isolated until the next test on 22 September,” a BCB statement about the issue reads.
The cricketers who are in isolation tell September 22 are: Mohammad Mithun, Hasan Mahmud, Naeem Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Abu Jayed, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Shafiul Islam and Mohammad Saifuddin.
Meanwhile, BCB is still waiting for a positive response from the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) who are negotiating with the health department of the island nation so that they allow a shorter quarantine period for the Bangladesh cricket team.
As per the Sri Lankan government’s regulation, everyone who enters the island nation is required to undergo a 14-day strict quarantine. But BCB has urged SLC to trim this period to seven days. But the Sri Lanka health department refused the idea.
The Sri Lanka series was originally scheduled for July-August, but due to the COVID-19 situation, the series was rescheduled to October-November. Bangladesh have played three World Test Championship matches till the date and lost all of them.