Bangladesh suffered a huge blow after spin bowling coach Rangana Herath tested positive for COVID-19 in New Zealand.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board officials have said that nine members of the Test contingent which comprises players and support staff were in close contact with a COVID-positive patient in the flight and have been put under extended quarantine. The patient was flying with them from Malaysia to New Zealand.
''Herath is corona positive and will be doing extended quarantine till he is cleared,'' BCB cricket operations chairman, Akram Khan, said on Wednesday (December 15).
"Look there was a corona positive in the plane and a couple of members of our squad along with Herath were in close contact with him. They are asked to do quarantine while Herath was found positive from them,'' he said.
''Other members of the squad have already been freed to practice from today though they could not do so due to rain after completing their mandatory quarantine period. The rest (who are asked to quarantine) will join them after obtaining a corona negative result following their quarantine period they were asked to complete.”
Bangladesh are touring New Zealand for a two-match Test series scheduled to begin on January 1, 2022 in Mount Maunganui. The second clash is slated to commence on January 9, 2022 in Christchurch.