Aminul Islam left the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium on Sunday evening sounding optimistic, if not completely certain, that India will be in Bangladesh next month. The Bangladesh Cricket Board president told reporters he has been talking to his opposite numbers in Mumbai and, in his words, progress is “steady rather than dramatic”.
“I have already spoken to the BCCI. Discussions have been positive,” he said after a six-hour board meeting in Dhaka. “We remain hopeful. It is scheduled [next month] but they are waiting for some decisions from the government.”
The tour on the table is straightforward enough: three one-day internationals on 17, 20 and 23 August, then three T20Is on 26, 29 and 31 August, split between Mirpur and Chattogram. The dates were released back in April, and tickets have been pencilled into many diaries since, yet the final thumbs-up from India has not arrived.
According to Aminul, the Indian board has promised an alternative slot if August slips away. “The discussions are ongoing. If for some reason they can’t come [in August], they will come at the next available window. We are hopeful of playing in this window. I can’t say much apart from the fact that they are very professional and cooperative.”
What is causing the hold-up? Officially, nothing more than routine government clearance in New Delhi, a standard step for every overseas assignment. Unofficially, observers point to a jam-packed calendar, with India juggling a home Test series later in the year and the Champions Trophy preparation.
From Bangladesh’s standpoint the visit is valuable: white-ball fixtures against a high-profile opponent offer World Cup preparation, broadcasting revenue and a chance for Shakib Al Hasan’s side to gauge progress. For now, though, administrators on both sides are waiting for a green signal from the corridors of power—cricket’s own version of a rain-check, albeit without the clouds.
