Bangladesh Cricket team to leave early for Pakistan amid social riots: Reports

Bangladesh cricket team will leave for Pakistan earlier than expected amid the social and political unrest in the country. The country has been experiencing riots since the upheaval of the Sheikh Hasina government.

Former Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus has been tasked with running the interim government till the time fresh elections are held in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh national cricket team will leave for Pakistan on August 12 five days earlier than the planned date to take part in a two-match Test series in Pakistan.

The series is part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship will be played later this month. The first Test will be played from August 21-25 in Rawalpindi. The second Test will be played in Karachi from August 30 to September 3.

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The Pakistan Cricket Board had earlier promised to provide all the necessary security for the Bangladesh players for an extended period, providing all necessary training facilities in Rawalpindi due to ongoing civil unrest in Bangladesh.

However, the coaching staff has opted out of the practice sessions after the embassies have imposed travel restrictions due to the political situation in the country.

The foreign staff contingent includes names like head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, bowling coach Andre Adams, assistant coach Nic Pothas, spin consultant Mushtaq Ahmed, batting coach David Hemp, and strength and conditioning coach Nathan Kelly.

"We cannot force them (the foreign coaching staff) to attend practice sessions given their travel restrictions. The fact that several police stations in the city are still not operating is a significant concern. We are working on getting the team to Pakistan earlier" a BCB official told Cricbuzz.

Bangladesh is placed eighth on the WTC points table and Pakistan is fifth. Both the teams have lost their respective Test series. Bangladesh are on a three-match losing streak and Pakistan lost their previous Test series against Sri Lanka.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board further said that they are likely to get in touch with Shakib Al Hasan who is currently playing in the Global T20 league in Canada.

He further said that amid the ongoing political tension in Bangladesh, Shakib is no longer politically connected and is only an international cricketer now.

Bangladesh Cricket Team Await Decision On Shakib Al Hasan

Shahriar Nafees further confirmed that Shakib has lost his political position after the riots broke out and is now only a cricketer. Shakib was an MP of the reigning Awami League government that has fallen since Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country on August 6.

"Shakib Al Hasan's NOC is till August 12. On August 13, he is supposed to return to the country and report to us. He still has two to three matches remaining and we will communicate with him and try to know his plans. Shakib is a cricketer now. Yesterday night, as per the President's order, Shakib is no longer an MP" BCB cricket operations in-charge Shahriar Nafees said.

Meanwhile, the bigger concern with Shakib is whether he can play the longest format after playing in T20 cricket leagues in recent times.

A BCB official also eluded to the same as he spoke about Shakib's possible arrival in Pakistan.

"Before it was just about whether he [Shakib] could come to Bangladesh and then travel to Pakistan. He's been playing cricket but in a format where he has to score quickly in short time. And even though he knows how to play longer matches, there's a concern about whether he can handle the physical demands of Test cricket" said the BCB official to Daily Star, Bangladesh's local newspaper.

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