Bangladesh refuses to play Test series in Pakistan amid security concerns

Bangladesh team refuses to tour Pakistan for the two-match Test series due to security concerns.

According to the details, Bangladesh Cricket team refuses to play test series in Pakistan due to security concerns.

Bangladesh was due to tour Pakistan from January 18 to play two Tests and three T20 Internationals (T20Is).

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Chief Nazmul Hassan briefed media about their decision.

Nazmul Hassan said the government had told the board it can go ahead with a tour of Pakistan but keep it “short” due to the Iran-US tensions.

This essentially means Bangladesh can play a T20I series but not Tests, which was the same line that the BCB had taken in December.

The BCB will now speak to the PCB about its decision.

“We are clear cut, but let’s see how they react,” Nazmul Hassan said.

“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.”

The BCB had earlier floated the proposal of playing one Test in Pakistan and the other in Bangladesh but it was rejected by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The PCB had also ruled out the possibility of hosting the Test series at a neutral venue.

Bangladesh first wanted to play three T20s in Pakistan and then decide on the Tests after assessing the security situation.

But now the Bangladesh government has intervened in the matter and advised the cricket team to just play the T20Is in Pakistan.