WHILE the Zimbabwe cricket team’s preparations for the upcoming home series almost went up in smoke following a contractual dispute — which was later resolved on Monday — it has also not been smooth sailing for their opponents either.
Report by Daniel Nhakaniso
The Bangladesh cricket team’s coaching department was forced to cancel yesterday’s scheduled practice session of the Zimbabwe-bound cricketers due to the 36-hour strike (hartal) in the subcontinent country.
Bangladesh had planned to have a practice session with all 15 selected cricketers before their scheduled departure for Harare today, but will now arrive in the capital without having practised as a squad.
“Now the players will meet at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport,” the team’s operations manager Tanjeeb Ahsan Saad told the Bangladesh Daily Star.
The Bangladesh players had practised individually since their return from Sri Lanka on April 2 after a month-long tour.
Some players, including captain Mushfiqur Rahim and his deputy Mahmudullah Riyad, are now in their respective home towns.
Any hopes of meeting for the first time as a team were dashed after the cancellation of yesterday’s training session.
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According to reports from Bangladesh, an alliance of 18 political parties were enforcing the nationwide 36-hour strike that began yesterday to press for the release of more than 160 opposition politicians arrested in the last two weeks.
Dozens of small bombs — mostly explosives in tin pots — went off in parts of Dhaka, where protesters clashed with police firing teargas injuring at least 25 people, the reports said.
The Tigers, as Bangladesh’s cricket team is affectionately known by its fans, are expected to arrive in the country tomorrow evening and will have six days to acclimatise to local conditions, as the first Test will start from April 17 at Harare Sports Club.
The second Test will start from April 25 at the same venue.
