Can it get any worse for BD players?
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Dominica: The Bangladesh cricket team is ready to face West Indies in the first T20I of a three-match series at the Windsor Park Dominica in Dominica on Saturday. However, the players of the visiting side suffered a near-death experience before the match during their travel from Saint Lucia to Dominica.
All the Bangladeshi players travelled from Saint Lucia to the match venue by sea which is approx 180 km. The journey takes around five hours and the visiting players suffered a horrid time travelling through the sea on a ferry. Almost all the Bangladeshi players didn’t have the experience of travelling through ferries and they fell sick till the time they reached Dominica. A lot of visiting players kept vomiting throughout the journey.
One of the Bangladesh cricketers said that they could die in such a journey, while another senior cricketer of the country remarked that it was the worst tour of his life.
“We are the ones who can fall sick and die here, us, nothing will happen to them. I have toured many countries, this is the first time I am experiencing something like this. None of us are used to this. Forget about playing, what will happen if one of us gets seriously ill in the ferry. This is the worst tour of my life,” said the players to Bangladesh newspaper Prothom Alo.
During the journey, the waves began when the ferry reached the middle of the sea. The ferry carrying the players wasn’t a large one, hence, even six-to-seven feet high waves were enough to make the ferry swing wildly. It heavily affected players’ health who began to feel sea-sick. Pacer Shoriful Islam and wicketkeeper-batter Nafees Iqbal got affected the most during the journey. Shoriful Islam vomited multiple times during the journey due to the sea waves.
Bangladesh are currently in West India to play three T20I matches against the home side.
https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...ries-west-indies-dominica-saint-lucia-1029178
Bangladesh Cricket Board has been on the receiving end of heavy criticism following Bangladesh cricket team’s traumatic journey by sea from Saint Lucia to Dominica Thursday.
Bangladesh team travelled to Dominica to play the first match of the three-T20I series against hosts West Indies.
In the five-hour long travel, a number of cricketers and member of the team management felt severely seasick.
Fingers were pointed at BCB, particularly the cricket operations committee’s bilateral negotiation and agreement with Windies Cricket regarding travel arrangements for the tour.
BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury has pushed ball towards Windies Cricket and claimed that the BCB had raised concerns on the matter initially.
According to Nizamuddin, the BCB had no option but to go ahead with the travel arrangement provided.
“We [BCB] were concerned regarding the issue. But the first thing is that it is the host country that always arranges the transportations. Still, we did show our concern about this. But the problem was that the Windies official wanted to send contingents of both sides together as it is their standard practice,” said Nizamuddin to the Daily Star in Dhaka Friday.
“They could not arrange a charter flight to carry both contingents at once. Also, due to Covid restrictions, only flights with fewer seating capacities were available. And hence, they opted for the ferry. We did show our concern regarding this, but they assured us that things would be fine as the Windies team would also travel with the Tigers. The thing is, we can relay our concern to them but the final call about making travel arrangements is made by the host country,” the BCB high-up added.
Members of the team however, are not convinced with the explanation from the BCB and a few strongly believe that it has been a negotiation failure.
A senior cricketer of the team while speaking to Dhaka Tribune Friday said, “We often hear a visiting team in Bangladesh has not agreed to this or that and that the BCB has made an alternative arrangement. But I think it has not been the case with us in the West Indies. It has been a negotiation failure or they simply could not understand trouble of such a journey.”
A video report on the incident on a cricket-based portal showed Bangladesh T20I captain Mahmudullah in conversation with team logistics manager Nafees Iqbal.
“Who should take responsibility for this incident now? A few players have been severely sick. Only a few are being able to stand, others have simply flattened out and we are only at half way. The sea ahead is rougher than what we have just experienced,” Mahmudullah was seen saying to Nafees.
Bangladesh T20I team will take on the West Indies in the first T20I at Windsor Park in Dominica Saturday.
Concerns have been raised if the cricketers can recover from the sickness in time.
BCB CEO Nizamuddin is confident of the recovery.
“They reached safely. We were in continuous communication. No doubt, it was a bad experience for the players. We saw some players suffer while some enjoyed themselves. But the main thing is it was not at all a good journey for Bangladesh,” said Nizamuddin.
“I spoke with team physio Bayjedul [Islam] and he assured that the players reached safely and that there would not be any repercussions as players will be able to recover after a day's rest.”
https://www.dhakatribune.com/sport/2022/07/02/maverick-pant-rescues-india-with-blistering-hundred
