Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is not happy with the excessive travelling during the Asia Cup. The team is set to play their first match of the tournament in Pallekele against Sri Lanka on August 31 and then will travel to Lahore to face Afghanistan in their second group match on September 3. If they make it to Super Four, the team will play their first game of the round on September 5 at the same venue before coming back to Colombo to their last two Super Four matches.
BCB Cricket Operation Chairman Jalal Younus has admitted that such travelling will definitely impact their Asia Cup campaign. However, to make the journey comfortable for teams, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is making sure that teams will travel by chartered planes. But Younus feels travelling is mentally stressful given that the players will have to reach the airport two hours earlier and carry their luggage as well.
The air distance between Sri Lanka and Pakistan is around 2761 km and it takes around 3 hours of travel to reach. "Yes, we have to go to Lahore to play the first match. There are two matches in the first round, one in Sri Lanka and the other one is in Pakistan. We have to go as we can do nothing actually. After the 31st [August] the next match is on 3rd [September].
"To make the journey comfortable the Asia Cup authorities [ACC] has decided to travel the teams in chartered flights. We will travel by chartered planes. This is the responsibility of the Asian Cricket Council. Of course, we would like to travel by quality airline, if that is a national airline or a chartered plane definitely that would be good for everyone," Jalal Younus told reporters.
Moreover, Jalal Younus also went on to add that the decision has been taken by the ACC and all teams will have to accept it and that they have no other option. "If you travel certainly there will be an impact which I feel because when you are travelling by air you will have to go two hours earlier and carry your luggage and preparing all these things is mentally stressful. Pakistan is far away from Sri Lanka. So there is nothing to do, since it is ACC's decision, everyone is playing like this. We also have to accept it," he added.
Like Bangladesh, even Sri Lanka will be playing their first game on August 31 in Pallekele and then travel to Lahore to face Afghanistan on September 5 before returning to Colombo for Super Four matches. Apart from the travel concern, Jalal Younus also opened up on Tamim Iqbal's fitness and his availaiblity for the Asia Cup. The Bangladesh ODI captain retired hastily earlier this month and made a U-turn after meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former skipper Mashrafe Mortaza.
He will now be travelling to London to meet physicians and discuss his back issues. Tamim will then sit with the board and discuss further course of action. "Tamim will be going to London on 26th. After his treatment there a decision will be taken based on his condition. His plan is to return to the country by 31st. The decision going forward will be dependent on his physical condition.
"The medical department will decide on which cricketers will be kept in the side and who will be excluded. When a team plays, of course it does so with full fitness," Younus added.
