BCB to decide on practice match Monday

The BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said its board and the Australia team management will wait till Monday evening to make a final decision on the two-day practice game. The two parties kept the opportunity for the game open as the BCB high-up believes a practice match in Fatullah’s Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium is very much possible, provided there is no more rain. The Australia team touring Bangladesh for the two-match Test series were scheduled to play a two-day warm-up game against a BCB XI in Fatullah, starting Tuesday. But severe waterlogging problem at the venue due to heavy rainfall made the stadium's chances of hosting the game uncertain.

Also read: Aussies decline to play practice match

The BCB offered Sylhet, BKSP and University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh field, located in Mohammadpur, as alternative venues to the Australian Test team. But the touring side found logistical complications in all the optional venues and refused to play the practice game. The Aussies officially communicated with the BCB on Saturday evening regarding the practice match and requested the host to arrange regular practice sessions in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium instead. “There is no issue with the field at BKSP but the distance is a factor. They (Australia) have some concern with the travel time to and from BKSP. We still have Fatullah as standby and all preparation is in place in case there is a last minute decision to play the practice game,” Nizamuddin told the media in Mirpur on Sunday.

Also read: Fatullah uncertain as venue for Australia practice match

“We will wait until [Monday] and if the weather permits, will have the game in Fatullah,” said the BCB official. Australia and Bangladesh will contest their first Test series in 11 years. The first Test starts on Sunday in Mirpur while the second five-dayer gets underway in Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on September 4. The Aussies will leave Bangladesh on September 9.