Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan have returned to Bangladesh and will need to complete a mandatory 14-day quarantine. However, BCB is hopeful that they can convince the officials to reduce the isolation period.
Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman, who were a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, have flown back to Bangladesh after the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League was suspended.
The star duo are currently undergoing their mandatory 14-day institutional quarantine. It is learnt that the two of them are in separate hotels in Dhaka.
Earlier this week, Cricbuzz had reported that the Bangladesh’s Directorate General of Health Services officials had stated that Shakib and Mustafizur would not be given any relaxation despite the duo being transferred from one bubble to the other. However, Bangladesh Cricket Board chief Nizamuddin Chowdhury was hopeful that they will be able to convince the officials to reduce the duo’s isolation period.
“I think we are getting confused and interpreting things differently. There is nothing like privilege or something like that for us (when it comes to relaxation of quarantine period) because international cricket has a different protocol during these times. Mustafizur and Shakib are in quarantine after arriving from India and you will be delighted to know both of them have been tested negative and we are hoping that we will be able to convince them so that their quarantine period is relaxed and they could join the practice soon,”
Chowdhury told reporters on Saturday.
The Bangladesh cricketers recently returned from Sri Lanka after their two-match Test series, which they lost 0-1. They will now re-converge on the 16th of May for a camp ahead of a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.
Suppose the BCB isn’t successful in convincing Bangladesh’s Directorate General of Health Services officials. In that case, Shakib and Mustafizur will join the camp only on the 20th and will have just three days to prepare for the ODI series. The three-match rubber kicks off on the 23rd of May at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.
