People of the country are expecting a positive cricket for the Tigers. The national cricket team of Bangladesh has gone New Zealand with the spirit of victory. Bangladesh can now beat any country in any format, experts opined.
However, we already know that, Bangladesh cricket team reached Christchurch at 11 am Bangladesh time on Wednesday. The current address of Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad is Shadow by Park Hotel in Christchurch.
The whole team is now under strict quarantine measures due to corona. The Kiwis have implemented strict Covid-19 protocol for Bangladesh’s ODI and T20 teams. In that protocol, there is no chance for any member of the team to leave the hotel for the first six days.
How are the Tigers in Christchurch? How long do they have to spend in quarantine? When will the Tigers be able to practice? BCB Media Manager Rabid Imam answered all those curious questions in a mobile phone conversation with agencies on Thursday.
Rabid Imam told, "Now the entire national team is staying at the five-star 'Shadow by Park Hotel’ in Christchurch. There is no opportunity for cricketers to go to restaurants, dining, swimming pools or even lobbies outside their rooms. All the cricketers are currently locked in their respective rooms. No one can get out of their rooms. There is no chance of that.”
Rabid added, "Cricketers also eat and drink inside hotel rooms. The hotel staff leaves food outside the rooms of every cricketer, coaches and supporting staff. With face mask on, they have to leave the room to take that food. No one can take off the mask while taking the food inside.'
BCB media manager Rabid Imam said the Tigers had their first test of the Covid-19 on Wednesday, just hours after setting foot in Christchurch. Team Bangladesh will have to take two more corona tests in the next four days. Therefore, they will have to take part in corona test for three times in the seven-week quarantine period.
Needless to say, it is important for every cricketer to get a negative report in those three tests. Cricketers will only get a chance to do gym work at the hotel on the seventh day if they test negative all the three times in six days. Then they will also get a chance to practice on the eighth day.
However, the cricketers will be able to practice in groups of 5, not as a team. On top of that, on the 12th day, the whole team will have to take the corona test for the fourth time. If they test negative in that test, the visitors will be free to take in the sights as the Covid-19 situation in New Zealand is better compared to elsewhere. In other words, if all goes well, the entire team will be able to practice together on March 9.