Bangladesh rejects Test proposal in Pakistan, will play three T20Is

Bangladesh has decided to reject the Pakistan Cricket Board’s proposal of playing the full Test series and will just participate in the three Twenty20 Internationals later this month.

The ongoing tension in the Middle East between Iran and the United States was one of the main reasons for the dismissal as the government had given the board permission to send the team only for a short period.

“The current state in the Middle East is definitely different than other times. So considering escalating tension in that particular region, they (the government) have told us to keep the tour as short as possible,” Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan told reporters in Dhaka after a meeting of the BCB board.

Also read: No Dhaka Test: Pakistan rejects Bangladesh board’s proposal

“They (government authorities) have told us to play the three Twenty20s as quickly as possible in a short period. Later, if the situation improves, we can play Test matches. We are going to communicate the same thing to Pakistan Cricket Board,” he said on Sunday (January 13).

According to the ICC’s Future Tour Programme, Bangladesh are scheduled to play three T20 internationals and two Tests in Pakistan in January-February.

The BCB had earlier made a similar proposal to play T20s in Pakistan, but the PCB had rejected their offer.

Also read: After Australia, Pakistan invites Bangladesh to play pink ball Test

The PCB wants Bangladesh to play Test matches if Bangladesh are to make the series short as the two Tests are also part of the ICC Test Championship.

The BCB president said he will be flying to Dubai on Monday to discuss with ICC chairman Shashank Manohar about the possible implications of skipping the Test series against Pakistan.

Test cricket returned to Pakistan in December for the first time since 2009 when the country hosted Sri Lanka for two matches, held in Rawalpindi and Karachi.

(With inputs from agencies)