/ 17 March 2009

Bangladesh coach fears for Twenty20 chances

Bangladesh's coach has said he fears the postponement of Pakistan's tour to the country will hit his team's chances at this year's Twenty20 champs.

Bangladesh’s cricket coach said on Wednesday he feared the postponement of Pakistan’s tour to the country would hit his team’s chances at this year’s ICC World Twenty20 championships.

Bangladesh’s government has put tours by foreign sports teams on hold because of security concerns following last month’s mutiny at a military base in the capital, Dhaka, in which more than 70 people were killed.

Coach Jamie Siddons said the Bangladeshi team had been banking on Pakistan’s tour to help them prepare for the Twenty20 event in England in June.

”We’ve got no real cricket until then, which is a bit of a concern for us,” Siddons told AFP.

The Pakistani team were originally scheduled to play two Twenty20 matches and five one-day internationals from March 10 to 22.

Siddons said he was hopeful the security situation would improve in Bangladesh and there was a possibility Pakistan could tour in October or November.

”We’ve got a small gap in our schedule in October and Pakistan have a gap around then too so we may be able to figure something out,” he said.

”We are all disappointed. The situation all over the place is not great but I am sure cricket is going to survive.”

Siddons, a former assistant coach with the Australian team, also said he was hopeful Pakistan could host overseas teams in future.

”Pakistan is a great country to tour. I hope we will see tours there again but I don’t think Pakistan or anyone else wants to put cricketers in danger.” — Sapa-AFP