Fool-proof Covid protocols: BCB taking no chance with Australia series

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has asserted there will be water-tight compliance of the Covid-19 protocols when the Australian cricket team arrives in Dhaka next month to play five T20 Internationals

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has asserted that there will be water-tight compliance of the Covid-19 protocols when the Australian cricket team arrives in Dhaka next month to play five T20 Internationals in early August.

BCB media committee chairman Jalal Yunus said on Tuesday: "Proper procedure of immigration and passport control will take place in the airport by following Covid-19 compliance measures.

"Maybe, this would include their passport being processed separately, but it is what is usually done. They (Cricket Australia) informed us that they (cricketers) don't want to enter a hallroom for the immigration. The passports will be returned to them following the immigration formalities," Yunus was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

BCB has already agreed to CA demand to host all the matches at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, although initially the Bangladesh board was not averse to holding a few fixtures in Chattogram.

Yunus added that once the Australian cricketers touch down on July 29, they will be put up in the same hotel where both West Indies and Sri Lanka had stayed during their tours this year.

"It is the same bio-bubble that we had for West Indies and Sri Lanka. (CA) asked us to address certain pockets in the hotel where outsiders were allowed, like some of the restaurants. Those will be closed during the course of the Australia tour," he added.

This will be Australia's maiden visit to Bangladesh since their 2017 tour to play two Tests.

--IANS

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