Shakib, Mustafizur must quarantine on return from IPL, DGHS says

Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman will have to be in a 14-day institutional quarantine, in a hotel, on their return after playing the Indian Premier League which is now suspended.

ABM Khurshid Alam, director general of health services, said on Tuesday no exception will be made for the members of the national team who were supposed to play the One-Day International home series against Sri Lanka from May 23.

Bangladesh Cricket Board asked the Directorate General of Health Services to loosen the rules for the duo so that they can practise ahead of the series, reports bdnews24.com.

But the DGHS said the rules cannot be relaxed for arrivals from India, which is facing a devastating second wave of COVID-19 possibly fuelled by a variant of the coronavirus first detected in the country.

“We have the cabinet’s orders. If someone leaves (the quarantine centre), they will bear the responsibility for that. We’ve talked to the law-enforcing agencies as well. We will inform them about the matter,” Alam said.

All-rounder Shakib had been playing for Kolkata Knight Riders while pacer Mustafizur for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL T20 tournament.

After India abruptly suspended the tournament due to the COVID-19 outbreak on Tuesday, a senior Indian cricket board official said IPL’s foreign contingents will start leaving for home from Wednesday, Reuters reported.

IPL Chairman Brijesh Patel said the league would facilitate a smooth passage for all the foreigners, according to the report.

His assurance notwithstanding, existing travel restrictions make it a complicated process for many.

Since Bangladesh has closed the borders with India fearing a rise in infections, BCB was mulling about “special arrangements” to take back the duo, said the board’s CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury.

ESPNCricinfo reported that some of the Australian contingent might head to the Maldives and wait there until they get the go-ahead to return home.

Britain added India to its travel "red-list" last month, which means the English contingent will have to quarantine for 10 days in a hotel.

The South African cricket board said it was making arrangements to bring back its players and support staff from India.