South Africa to decide on Bangladesh Test tour this week amid security concerns
The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) is also involved in the discussions, with concerns centred around the political unrest that occurred in Bangladesh earlier this year.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) is set to make a decision by the end of the week on whether the Proteas will proceed with their two-match Test series against Bangladesh, scheduled to start on 21 october under the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
Bangladesh experienced political instability following the ousting of its government on 5 august, which led to the relocation of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 to the UAE.
The tournament was originally scheduled to be hosted in Bangladesh, but the decision to shift the event came as a result of safety concerns. Despite the unrest subsiding, Cricket South Africa is still conducting its security evaluations before finalising any decision on the tour.
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Shahriar Nafees, head of cricket operations for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), addressed the situation, telling The Daily Star: "Cricket South Africa and their players' association are highly organised, so this is a routine procedure. Their concern following the July-August unrest is understandable, but we have assured them that Bangladesh is now stable and safe for travel."
CSA has confirmed that it would only withdraw if any security threats are identified before the start of the series. The Proteas have already competed in six Tests during this WTC cycle, winning two, losing three, and drawing one. They currently sit in seventh position on the WTC table and must win five of their remaining six Tests to qualify for the final at Lord's. All of their Test matches in this cycle have been part of two-match series, reflecting CSA's prioritisation of franchise cricket, particularly their domestic T20 league, SA20.
While South Africa's tour of Bangladesh remains undecided, they are scheduled to travel to the UAE for a historic ODI series against Afghanistan, followed by three ODIs and three T20Is against Ireland. Meanwhile, Bangladesh will head to India for a two-match Test series and three T20Is after the Bangladesh-South Africa series, should it proceed.
The final decision from Cricket South Africa regarding the Bangladesh tour is expected in the coming days, with safety evaluations playing a crucial role in determining whether the Proteas will travel as planned.
