Bangladesh vs South Africa Test series gets green light as CSA delegation satisfied with security

The Bangladesh National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Test series has received a green light as the Cricket South Africa (CSA) delegation has expressed satisfaction over the security arrangements for the matches.

The two-match Test series between the Bangla Tigers and the Proteas is scheduled to start on October 21 as per the Future Tours Programme. However, there has been a delay in the finalization of the schedule due to the recent political unrest and anti-government protests in the country.

Notably, the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 was also scheduled to be played in Bangladesh but the International Cricket Council (ICC) moved the tournament out of the country and shifted it to UAE due to the turmoil. Hence, the participation of South Africa in the two-match Test series in the country was subject to security clearance.

Meanwhile, Cricket South Africa (CSA) sent a four-member delegation to Bangladesh for the inspection. Among the four members, one was former all-rounder Farhaan Behardien.

They reached Dhaka on September 21 and visited Chattogram the following day, where one of the Test matches will be played. Also, they inspected the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur and Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

Meanwhile, the four-member delegation witnessed drills carried out by security forces and reviewed the facilities at the venues.

Cricket South Africa Delegation Satisfied With Security Arrangements, claims Bangladesh Cricket Board official

In an interaction with the reporters, Shahriar Nafees, BCB cricket operations manager, said that the Cricket South Africa delegation was satisfied with the arrangements and will soon submit their report to the South African board.

"As much as I could gather from their conversations, they are very satisfied. They thanked the BCB and the security forces for arranging everything in such a short time. They will now fly back home and submit their final report while we complete our internal work," Shahriar Nafees, BCB cricket operations manager, told reporters on Monday, as quoted by Cricbuzz.

"We showed them the protocol BCB usually maintains for any international series. Unfortunately, due to the political unrest, we couldn't host the Women's T20 World Cup."

Nafees further said that Cricket South Africa was concerned about the security arrangements because the Women's T20 World Cup was moved out of the country by ICC.

"They had concerns about the situation, so they came to observe the current conditions and how we will maintain security protocols. South Africa has never sent a delegation before, but after we lost the hosting rights to the Women's T20 World Cup, they came to review the arrangements," said Nafees, who accompanied the delegation during their stay in Dhaka and Chattogram.

Reportedly, the South Africa National Cricket Team will reach Bangladesh on October 16 and will be involved in the Test matches commencing on October 21 and 29.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh National Cricket Team are currently involved in a two-match away Test series against the India National Cricket Team, and before that, they toured Pakistan for a two-match Test series, which they won.