BCB confident of hosting WI warm-up in Ctg

CNI Desk: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials said on Monday that they are confident that the practice game between Bangladesh and West Indies scheduled to be held in MA Aziz Stadium will proceed as per plan despite the Chattogram City Polls.

The Election Commission (EC) earlier announced that they have decided to hold the Chattogram City Corporation elections on January 27, which was suspended nearly nine months ago due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

A total of 7 candidates for the mayoral post and 269 contestants for 55 ward councillor posts including reserved seats for women are going to take part in the polls which was originally scheduled for March 29, but the plan was derailed by the outbreak of the coronavirus across the country.

 

Usually an EC control room is set up at the gymnasium of MA Aziz Stadium from where the materials used in election are sent to all the polling centres and a large number of people gathers in and around the MA Aziz Stadium.

Many raised doubts over the future of the practice game which is scheduled to be held in MA Aziz Stadium considering the fact that there will be a bio-bubble in place during West Indies’ tour of Bangladesh.

“We are confident that we can hold the practice game at MA Aziz Stadium as per our plan and there will be no problem despite the City Polls which is expected to end by January 27,” BCB Grounds Committee Manager Abdul Baten told The Daily Sun on Monday.

“We will seal the entire premises so that no one can enter during the time of the poll and that is expected to keep it safe as well as keep the bio-bubble intact,” he said.

According to an itinerary released by BCB, the Caribbean side will arrive on January 10 and will undergo quarantine for 7 days before playing their first game, a warm-up match against a local selection on January 18.

The first two ODIs of the series will be held in the capital on January 20 and January 22 respectively.

 

Chattogram will host the final ODI on January 25 and a four-day warm-up match is scheduled in MA Aziz Stadium from January 28 to January 31 while the first Test will be played in Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium from February 3 to February 7. The last Test will be played in Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium from February 11 to February 15.