Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan has said that the bilateral tie with Sri Lanka will go ahead as per schedule despite the Covid-19 scare and further added that there is nothing to panic about.
"It can happen at times (someone getting positive) but there is a protocol in place... what we need to do and how many times we need to do the test to make sure that he is negative," Nazmul said at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Sunday (May 23). "We are following the protocol and we feel nothing serious happened that we need to panic.”
Three members of theSri Lankan contingent, Chaminda Vaas, Isuru Udana and Shiran Fernando had tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday. While Vaas and Udana returned with negative tests on Sunday, Fernando was found to be positive for the virus for the second time and was put into isolation.
"But definitely we will increase our vigilance. He (Fernando) recovered from Covid very recently, the PCR may have detected the dead RNA from the virus, many individuals have it on them up to 28 days," Nazmul said.
The home side went 1-0 up later in the day in the three-match series after beating Sri Lanka by 33 runs in Dhaka. Chasing a stiff total of 258, the visitors were bundled out for 224. Wanindu Hsaranga top-scored with 74 while no other batsmen really got into the groove. For Bangladesh, it was Mehidy Hasan who returned with a four-wicket haul while Mustafizu Rahman picked up three wickets.
Earlier, the hosts rode on some piece of batting from Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah to manage 257/6 in 50 overs. All the three batsmen notched up a half-century each. The remaining two ODIs will be played on Tuesday and Friday respectively at the same venue.