Pallekele to host two Bangladesh Tests 

By Rex Clementine

Kandy will be the focus of the cricketing world next month as Sri Lanka Cricket has decided to play two of the three Tests involving Bangladesh at the Pallekele International Stadium, SLC sources told The Island. The remaining Test match of the series will be played at SSC. 

This will be the first cricket series SLC will be hosting after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and officials said that the decision to restrict the games to two venues instead of three was to restrict regular movements of players, support staff and match officials. SLC had initially wanted to accommodate a certain number of fans at games but following discussions with health authorities this request has been shot down.

The dates are yet to be confirmed for the tour but there is an indication that the opening game will take place in the last week of October – possibly on the 24th. Bangladesh will arrive in the island later this month with as many as 30 players and will conduct residential training camps and practice matches, the location of which is yet to be confirmed. 

Soon after the completion of the Bangladesh series, SLC will host the inaugural Lanka Premier League tournament starting in November. England are expected to tour the island in January after their two Test series was postponed in March.

Cricket officials told The Island that all series that were postponed due to the pandemic will be played in 2021 and 2022.  South Africa’s tour to Sri Lanka along with India’s visit were indefinably postponed due to the pandemic. Sri Lanka were also set to host this year’s Asia Cup.

The selectors have picked a pool of 23 ahead of the series and they will resume training on Thursday. The pool includes several new faces as the national selection panel backed those who had done well in domestic cricket.

Meanwhile, for Bangladesh their star performer  Shakib-Al-Hasan is expected to make a comeback during the series. The former Bangladeshi captain was banned from all forms of cricket for one year for failing to report an approach by a bookie. His ban ends on the 29th of October and in that case he will be eligible for selection from the second Test match onwards.

Shakib is such a vital cog in the Bangladeshi wheel. He is the country’s  highest wicket taker (210) in Tests and his 3862 runs in Tests are the third all time highest for Bangladesh.