LAHORE: The Bangladesh cricket team has been given the go ahead by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) tour Pakistan.
Following heightened tensions between Pakistan and India, the BCB had sought permission from its government before confirming the tour, which has allowed, the sources said, adding: “The Pakistan-Bangladesh series will go ahead as per the original schedule. The series is set to begin on May 27 and will comprise five T20 matches. All matches are scheduled to take place in Faisalabad and Lahore.”
There are no security concerns in Pakistan and the series will take place across both scheduled venues, the sources added.
Moreover, Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has joined Lahore Qalandars for the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 10) starting today.
Shakib had replaced New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell in the squad, who is unavailable for the rest of the tournament.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had announced the schedule for the remaining fixtures of PSL X. According to the schedule, league matches will take place in Rawalpindi, while the playoff round will be staged in Lahore. The final of PSL X is scheduled to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on May 25.
The Pakistan-Bangladesh series is part of the Future Tour Programme (FTP). The series was originally consisted of three ODIs and three T20Is. However, with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled for next year, both the boards have mutually agreed to replace the ODIs with two additional T20Is.
The five-match T20I series will be played in Faisalabad and Lahore from May 25 to June 3. Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, which successfully hosted the inaugural Champions One-Day Cup in September last year and National T20 Cup last month, will stage the first and second T20Is of the series, scheduled on May 25 and 27, respectively. Iqbal Stadium, which has previously hosted 24 Tests and 16 ODIs between 1978 and 2008, will welcome back international cricket after a 17-year hiatus. The historic venue’s last international fixture was an ODI between Bangladesh and Pakistan in April 2008.
Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will host the remaining three T20Is, scheduled on May 30, June 1 and 3. All five matches will begin at 8pm.
Bangladesh team will arrive on 21st May and will undergo training sessions at the Iqbal Stadium from May 22 to 24.
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