DHAKA – Bangladesh will send a cricket squad to Pakistan for the first timein three years, officials said Thursday after receiving assurances fromtheir counterparts about security.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka are co-hosting an Asian Cricket Council tournamentnext month, with Bangladesh playing all their group matches in Karachi.
Most cricket nations have steered clear of Pakistan since gunmen attackedSri Lanka’s team bus in 2009, killing several people.
But international cricket is slowly returning, with Zimbabwe and the WestIndies among countries to visit Pakistan in recent years.
The Bangladesh squad being sent for the Emerging Teams Asia Cup startingDecember 6 is the first since 2015 to visit Pakistan.
“We agreed to the tour following assurance of adequate security by thePakistan Cricket Board,” said Bangladesh Cricket Board boss NizamuddinChowdhury.
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The board would also sent a security detail with the squad, he added.
Bangladesh are in Group B alongside hosts Pakistan, Hong Kong and the UAE.
Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, India and Oman in Group A will play their matchesin Colombo, which will also host the semis and final.
Squad: Nurul Hasan (Capt), Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Hossain, MizanurRahman, Shafiul Islam, Zakir Hasan, Saif Hassan, Yasir Ali, Tanvir Islam,Afif Hossain, Nayeem Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Qazi Onik, Khaled Ahmed, MohorSheikh. – APP/AFP