Bangladesh Team Director Khaled Mahmud tests positive for COVID-19

Khaled Mahmud, the former Bangladesh skipper, has tested positive for COVID-19 and has isolated himself at his residence. Mahmud was Bangladesh’s team director on their recent tour of Sri Lanka and was in readiness to continue with the role for the upcoming three-match ODI series set to undergo on 23rd May 2021 (Sunday). The 49-year-old is also a coach in the Dhaka Premier League, set to start on May 31.

Mahmud had tested negative twice post return from the team’s Sri Lanka assignment, but returned a positive third test, as reported by a BCB official. The squad had started training earlier this week, but Mahmud was absent. The board has currently put in place a bio-security bubble for the ODI series in the facility where the players are staying and the Sher-e-Bangla stadium, the venue for all three 50-over fixtures.

Notably, the Sri Lankan players were in quarantine for three days after they arrived on May 16, whereas the host team that returned from Sri Lanka also practiced home quarantine of the same duration. Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman, both of whom were employed at the recently-suspended Indian Premier League, boarded a chartered flight from India to Bangladesh before undergoing 11-day isolation in a hotel.

COVID situation settling down in Bangladesh 

A little over 1500 fresh Covid-19 infections and 26 deaths have been reported in the country in the last 24 hours. Bangladesh had imposed a lockdown owing to the second wave of the pandemic in April and the situation has been improving in the recent past.

However, not enough to let crowds be allowed to spectate the matches between the two teams. All three games, scheduled to be played on May 23, 25, and 28 respectively, will be conducted behind closed doors. Mahmud’s Covid-19 bout might well keep him away from joining the team for the entire tour.

He represented the nation in 12 Tests and 77 ODIs between 1998 to 2006, amassing 266 and 991 runs respectively, and also took 80 wickets in his international cricket. The 49-year-old has been in various mentoring roles after retirement. He has been the director of the Bangladesh board since 2013.