NZ tour to go ahead as scheduled amid postponement rumours

The Bangladesh national cricket team was scheduled to serve a seven-day quarantine in New Zealand following the relaxation of protocols after negotiations between the two boards. But the quarantine period has been extended as they have to be quarantined for ten days under the MIQ (Managed Isolation and Quarantine) since Bangladesh spin coach Rangana Herath tested positive for Covid-19 and nine more players had been sent into isolation.

There were talks of Bangladesh's tour of New Zealand being cancelled. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), earlier, contemplated bringing the team back home. 

But it has eventually decided not to do so until another Covid test is done on 21 December.

One of the members of the squad for the New Zealand tour, citing anonymity, told The Business Standard (TBS) that the BCB had informed them that the tour would go as planned.

The BCB thought of cancelling the tour because of a lack of adequate preparation. After finishing the ten-day quarantine, the team will get 10 days to prepare for the first Test. Out of those ten days, they cannot train for two days because of travelling and Christmas vacation. 

A meeting was called at the BCB headquarters to decide on the Test series in New Zealand and a few issues regarding the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The team had been informed of the decision regarding the Test series before the meeting was over. 

The Bangladesh team left for New Zealand on 9 December. Upon arrival in the country, they entered the biosecure bubble straightaway. But a problem arose when Rangana Herath, who joined the team a few days later, tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday. 

A person who was on the same flight as the Bangladesh team tested positive which added to the problems. Nine cricketers - Mominul Haque, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Fazle Mahmud, Yasir Ali, team director Khaled Mahmud, selector Abdur Razzak and three members of the supporting staff - who sat close to that person had to serve an extended quarantine period. 

Apart from those nine players, the members of the team started hitting the gym on Tuesday. On Friday, it was informed that everyone barring Herath returned negative results. But the entire team was sent into a three-day room quarantine and training was asked to be put on hold for three days by the ministry of health of the government of New Zealand.

The first Test of the two-match series will begin on 1 January at Mount Maunganui.