The original Bangladesh tour of Sri Lanka, comprising three Tests, could now become a combination of Tests and an additional three T20Is, possibly beginning in mid-October, pending the necessary approvals from the Sri Lankan government and health ministry. While the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) wants three Tests and as many T20Is to be played, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) wants one of the Tests to be replaced by the three T20Is.
The original tour was scheduled for July-August and was postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Akram Khan, BCB's cricket operations chairman, the board is finalising plans to make their team fly out for Colombo on September 24. SLC vice-president Mohan de Silva, on the other hand, confirmed that the three T20Is, which were not a part of the Future Tours Programme, could be played instead of one of the three Tests.
"The tour schedule isn't finalised but we are likely to leave for Colombo on September 24 and the first Test could be held in the middle of October," Khan said. "The board is in discussion on sending both teams (for Tests and T20Is) together but we will finalise our plans by this week.
"We want to play a three-match T20I series, and we are hopeful of getting a reply from SLC."
BCB's high-performance squad may also travel with the senior team to help them with practice matches as SLC has reportedly informed the BCB that they cannot provide a team for tour games, Khan said. The high-performance side also had their proposed tour in July deferred.
The Test series, which is part of the World Test Championship, will be Bangladesh's and Sri Lanka's first international series since the pandemic-forced break if it goes ahead.