Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hassan Papon said they are reluctant to travel to Pakistan to play the Test series but they are agreed to play only T20 series in Pakistan. Citing the security clearance from the government security entities for what they are still waiting, Papon also said their decision will bank on whether they can manage to form a good side.

“The schedule we have in hand responded to that. We told we will go there to play T20 series. We’re trying to send T20 team if they are agreed to tour to Pakistan,” said Nazmul Hassan Papon. “It’s not an issue of the board. There are two things out of the board. If players and coaching staff are agreed, if we could form a good team, we will then send the team,” Papon told media at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

“Second is the clearance from the government what is needed for any tour. We have got a clearance from a place but we will also get from other places within the next one-two days. We’ll take our final decision after getting it. The clearance is needed for T20 series,” he added. There are some senior players and coaching staff who have already informed the board about their reluctance to tour to Pakistan. In the aspects of their reluctance, the BCB president talked with Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad yesterday as a part of their discussion to assess the consensus of the players.

Papon flatly said they will not force any players who are reluctant to travel to Pakistan for the tour. Under such a circumstance, the BCB is likely to find it difficult to put together a full-strength side for the T20I series in Pakistan. Bangladesh are all set to tour Pakistan in January-February for a three-match T20I and two-Test series, which is the part of World Test Championship.  “We’ve already communicated to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that we’re trying to send a team for the T20s if the players are willing,” he said.

“If the players and the staff are willing and we can manage to form a good team, then we will send our team. Some of our star players have said that they don't even want to play the T20s. We are awaiting government clearances. We’ve already gotten approval from one section and awaiting other instructions. We need clearance from the security agencies,” he also said.

“One thing is certain, we won’t force any player to go,” he said. The BCB Boss said there were no doubts about the security system in Pakistan. “The biggest thing is that there is no room for doubt over the security system being provided by Pakistan. I went there myself and the women’s team was there as well and also the U-16 team. The feedback we received from them was that the security system is good,” Papon said.