IPL 2021: Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman might leave India earlier than expected

Bangladesh cricketers Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman could leave the Indian Premier League 2021 earlier than they would have planned initially. This indecision and situation have come up after a new quarantine rule was approved by the Bangladesh Health Ministry. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief Nizamuddin Chowdhury revealed some information regarding the situation. 

According to the quarantine rule that has been put in place starting from May 1, all the travelers coming from South Africa and India have to go through a mandatory 14-day quarantine before they can start their daily work in Bangladesh. In order to have some relaxation for its players, BCB will have to get special permission from the Directorate General of Health Services of Bangladesh. 

When this situation had arisen in the past, BCB managed to reduce the quarantine period of its players and foreign coaching staff. However, in the middle of this second wave of the coronavirus, the chances are very less that the relaxation will be allotted for members coming from India and South Africa. For the Bangladesh cricketers, who will be coming from their tour of Sri Lanka, this same rule won’t be applicable. 

Will take decisions according to the guideline provided by the government: BCB chief

“We have asked them (Shakib and Mustafizur) to let us know what is their plan for the next 15 days while we have also asked the health ministry to know what kind of quarantine protocol the two players will need to follow,” BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury was quoted by Cricbuzz. 

Shakib is part of the Kolkata Knight Riders team while Mustafizur has emerged as one of the leading players of Rajasthan Royals, in absence of the other overseas stars. The duo was initially expected to arrive on May 19 in Bangladesh, attend a three-day quarantine, and join the team before their ODI series against Sri Lanka, which starts on May 23. 

BCB chief Chowdhury further said, “If the health ministry suggests that they will have to follow seven or 14 days quarantine, they will have to return earlier than scheduled from IPL. But before that, we have to know what rules will be in place for them,” he said. “We are bound by the Bangladesh Government rules, and will take decisions according to the guideline provided by the government.”

BCB is also sweating over the quarantine protocols for their South Africa-bound head coach Russell Domingo and fielding coach Ryan Cook. The pair is expected to go to South Africa from Sri Lanka before they come back to Bangladesh for the ODI series. 

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