Fast bowler Nahid Rana and two members of the support staff have opted out of the forthcoming Pakistan tour as the Pakistan Cricket Board published the revised schedule for the three-match T20 series on Wednesday.
The series, which has been reduced to three matches from five, will begin on May 28. The second and third matches will be played on May 30 and June 1, respectively. All the matches will be held in Lahore according to the revised schedule.
But Nahid, trainer Nathan Keily and fielding coach James Pamment won’t travel to Pakistan with the team.
The chairman of cricket operations of BCB, Najmul Abedeen Fahim, confirmed the development to the reporters during a press conference at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday.
‘From the team announced earlier, Nahid Rana has withdrawn himself; he is not going. From the coaching staff, Jimmy and Nathan, our fielding coach and trainer, aren’t going either. The rest of them are going,’ Fahim told reporters.
‘There was slight discomfort among some other players. But then they thought that it wouldn’t be that much difficult. So they changed their initial decision, and all are going now,’ he added.
Fahim also mentioned that the recent incidents Nahid encountered while playing in the PSL may have influenced his decision.
‘Nahid Rana or Rishad Hossain, they faced such incidents that it’s quite natural to be traumatised. So there’s nothing to blame. And maybe that’s why he has withdrawn himself,’ said Fahim.
‘They might have thought that there might be some tensions between India and Pakistan. The two support staff don’t want to face this type of situation,’ Fahim further added.
He also said that Rishad—who also played in the PSL before it had been suspended—was among the players who didn’t want to go at first.
‘Rishad also thought of [opting out]. But they talked it out. Our head coach is also going. Maybe these helped him to change his mind,’ said Fahim.
According to the chairman of cricket operations, no one would replace Nahid in the squad. He also confirmed that Mustafizur Rahman—who is currently playing in the IPL for Delhi Capitals—will join the squad for the Pakistan series.
The series was initially scheduled to commence on May 25 in Faisalabad. However, the suspension of the PSL due to the conflict between Pakistan and India, followed by its resumption, placed the series in jeopardy.
The BCB earlier said that they had been in constant discussion with their Pakistani counterpart. Then the president of the PCB, Faruque Ahmed, and Fahim met with the chairman of the PCB, Mohsin Naqvi, in Dubai.
The PCB on Tuesday confirmed that the series would go on but the numbers of matches would be reduced.
Fahim also explained why the series was cut short.
‘[It is because] the series isn’t going to begin in a timely manner,’ he said. ‘According to the previous schedule, the series was supposed to finish just before Eid. All agreed to that. But now the series will begin on May 28 instead of May 25, so five matches won’t be possible. Because then the series would clash with Eid.’
‘We will try to finish the series as soon as possible. Then the discomforts the boys have will be reduced,’ added Fahim.
