Bangladesh Women's team want to concentrate on cricket rather than security concern
Bangladesh Women's cricket team captain Salma Khatun has said that the team is focused on playing cricket in the scheduled Pakistan tour rather than the security concern, reports Zee News. Khatun added that everyone in the team agreed to tour Pakistan when Bangladesh Cricket Board asked for their approval.
"We were not put under any pressure to play in Pakistan," Salma said. "We are going according to our wishes. We will be given the highest level of security. We are going there to play cricket, so we are not concerned about what is happening anywhere else in the country."
Salma, who was speaking behalf of the team, further said that in the nine-day tour, they have been assured the highest security. She stressed on that fact that Bangladesh match-less since the 2014 Asian Games.
"The board wanted to know our decision, whether we want to or don't want to go. We wanted to tour any country to play cricket, since we haven't played any matches since the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. There is no fear among us. We know that there won't be any trouble in the area where we will be playing."
When asked about everyone’s parents concern, she firmly said that they have been convinced by us.
"Naturally our parents were concerned. We talked with them and convinced them. There is nothing risky in it because these kinds of things happen in every country and not only in Pakistan," she concluded.
Recently Zimbabwe became the first international team to tour Pakistan since March 3, 2009, when gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team bus while it was en route to the Gaddafi Stadium to play the third day of the second Test. Eight people were killed during the attack and some players were injured.
Since then, Pakistan have been forced to play their home matches in the United Arab Emirates. Afghanistan, who received Associate status from ICC in 2014, visited Pakistan several times, but their fixtures were low profile.
Bangladesh Women’s team will be welcomed in Pakistan with great joy like Zimbabwe and we hope the tour goes on smoothly with any security threats coming in between.
The schedule for Bangladesh Women's tour of Pakistan:
September 30 - 1st T20
October 2 - 2nd T20
October 4 - 1st ODI
October 6 - 2nd ODI