Tamim feels relieved after strict quarantine

Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal is relieved to have finally completed the 14-day long quarantine in New Zealand. Bangladesh national cricket team, despite having its own team restriction on movement, is now free to move in the country having completed the mandatory quarantine successfully and all members returning with Covid-19 negative result.

On Wednesday, tourists Bangladesh for the first time met as unit, since their arrival in New Zealand on February 25, to travel to Queenstown where they will have a five-day long camp before travelling to Dunedin for the first match of the three-match ODI series.

“We are feeling very good now. It has been a different experience for us. We have been part of bio-bubble before but not like this one (in New Zealand). But to be honest we have been looked after very well. We can only thank New Zealand Cricket for the way they have made the arrangement for us. It was not easy for us (to be in the isolation) and they have ensured we were comfortable,” said Tamim to the media on Wednesday before taking flight to Queenstown from Christchurch.

“Of course it (the two-week isolation) makes a big difference. We are now on a 45-day tour which generally would have been of 20 days. We had to stay 14 days in isolation. But, we cannot complain because it is the way now. You have to respect the protocol set by a country and look forward. Good thing now is that we are free,” the left-handed batsman added.

 Bangladesh team apart from the practice session will also play an intra-squad practice game in Queenstown. The side’s spin bowling consultant Daniel Vettori is set to join the team in Queenstown and help the team in assessing the local condition.

 “He (Vettori) has already reached Queenstown. We have some practice sessions there and will also play a practice game. We are looking forward to that. We had practice sessions in small groups while we were in isolation but from tomorrow (Thursday) we will start working as a team,” said Tamim.

 Bangladesh will take on hosts New Zealand in the first ODI on March 20. The second and the third ODIs will be played on March 23 and 26 in Christchurch and Wellington respectively.  The three T20Is will take place on March 28, 30 and April 1 in Hamilton, Napier and Auckland respectively.