Bangladesh spin bowling coach Rangana Herath tests positive for Covid-19 in New Zealand

Bangladesh and New Zealand will play a two-Test match series against New Zealand starting from 1st January. The Bangladeshi team has arrived in New Zealand, and things are not going great for the Tigers. Earlier, Shakib Al Hasan requested BCB to allow him to skip this series, and the board accepted his request.

The Bangladesh spin bowling coach, Rangana Herath, who traveled with the team, has tested positive for Covid-19. As a result, a total of nine members of the Bangladesh team, including support staff and players, are asked to undergo an extended quarantine, Akram Khan, BCB Cricket Operations Chairman, has confirmed.

“Herath is corona positive and will be doing extended quarantine till he is cleared,” Akram Khan was quoted by Cricbuzz on Wednesday. “Look there was a corona positive in the plane and a couple of members of our squad along with Herath were in close contact with him. They are asked to do quarantine while Herath was found positive from them,” he added.

”Other members of the squad have already been freed to practice from today though they could not do so due to rain after completing their mandatory quarantine period. The rest (who are asked to quarantine) will join them after obtaining a corona negative result following their quarantine period they were asked to complete.’

Bangladesh in search of first win against New Zealand

Bangladesh and New Zealand have featured in a total of 15 Test matches, and the former are yet to find success against Kiwis. In the upcoming series, both the teams will play the first Test at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. The second Test will start from 9th January at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch.

Bangladesh will also be playing an intra-squad two-day practice match on 22nd and 23rd December. From 28th December to 29th December, they will play another practice game against New Zealand A.

Apart from Shakib Al Hasan, the visiting team will also miss the services of Tamim Iqbal, who has been ruled out of the series due to a thumb injury. The left-hander last played a Test for Bangladesh in April against Sri Lanka.