SLC requests two-country quarantine period
The SLC are trying to convince the Sri Lankan health ministry to loosen the Covid-19 protocols for the visiting Bangladesh team.
Bangladesh's tour to Sri Lanka is currently in doubt because of disagreement over the quarantine period. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) wants a seven-day quarantine period whereas the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) are adamant that if Bangladesh tour Sri Lanka, they will have to quarantine themselves for 14 days.
But the SLC are trying to make the series happen and have come up with a new proposal. The SLC are trying to convince the Sri Lankan health ministry to loosen the Covid-19 protocols for the BCB.
The SLC have requested a two-country quarantine period to their health ministry. That means, the entourage has to quarantine themselves for seven days before flying to Sri Lanka and repeat that on arrival to Sri Lanka. The SLC officially appealed to the health ministry after a discussion between the sports minister Namal Rajapaksa and the SLC chief Shammi Silva had taken place.
A team representing the SLC led by Shammi Silva had an emergency meeting with Lt. Shavendra Silva, the chairman of Sri Lanka's National Operation Centre for Prevention of Covid-19 Outbreak, on Tuesday. After that Silva had another meeting with Rajapaksa and then the appeal in the form of a letter was submitted to the health ministry.
But neither the BCB nor the Sri Lankan health ministry have agreed to the proposal of two-country quarantine period. On top of that, it has become increasingly difficult to fly overseas because of travel restrictions now. Still, the SLC is thinking of alternative options. But the Sri Lankan health ministry haven't changed their decision.
"We had a pretty positive meeting with the Covid-19 taskforce. Everyone has agreed that the tour should happen. But we have to follow what the doctors say here as well," said the SLC vice president Ravin Vikramaratne.
Bangladesh are supposed to play a three-match Test series against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka as part of the World Test Championship in October.