Bangladesh cricketers arrive in Pakistan for Emerging Teams Asia Cup

Bangladesh U-23 cricketers arrived in Pakistan for the upcoming Emerging Teams Asia Cup, scheduled to start from December 6.

The team arrived after Bangladesh cricket board's green signal to send its cricket team to Pakistan, with Bangladesh playing all their group matches in Karachi.

"There are two reasons behind sending [the Under-23] team for the Emerging Cup in Pakistan,” said, Bangladesh Cricket Board president, Nazmul Hassan, quoted cricbuzz.

“Firstly, it will be hosted in two groups respectively - in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. India have reservations regarding touring Pakistan, so if we say that we also do have reservations, then it will be difficult to play the tournament over two groups.

"Sri Lanka, naturally, want to play in their home soil. It is [also] right that there is security concern and even I went to Pakistan and raised the issue. I don't think there will be any problem. We will take our precaution. We will send such persons who are experienced regarding security issues," he added.

The decision comes after Bangladesh cricket officials said on Thursday that they will send a cricket squad to Pakistan for the first time in three years after receiving assurances from their counterparts about security.

Pakistan has remained a no-go zone for cricketing nations ever since gunmen attacked Sri Lanka's team bus back in 2009. However, international cricket is returning amid slowly after improvements in law and order situation, with Zimbabwe and the West Indies among countries to visit Pakistan in recent years.