The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday refused to take part in a full tour of Pakistan citing tension in the Middle East.
The BCB announced that it was willing to tour Pakistan later this month only to play three T20 Internationals.
Board president Nazmul Hassan said tension between Iran and United States in the Middle East was the reason behind the decision. He said the Bangladesh government had given the board permission to send the team only for a short duration.
"The current state in the Middle East is definitely different than other times. So considering escalating tension in that particular region, the government has told us to keep the tour as short as possible," Hassan was quoted as saying by AFP in Dhaka.
"The government has told us to play the three Twenty20s as quickly as possible in a short period. Later, if the situation improves, we can play the Test matches. We are going to communicate the same thing to Pakistan Cricket Board," he said.
Bangladesh were scheduled to play three T20 Internationals and two Tests in Pakistan in the January-February period.
The Bangladesh board had earlier said it was willing to play T20s, but the Pakistan board had rejected the offer. The PCB wants the Tigers to play Tests as the two matches are part of the World Test Championship.
"They should be happy that we still want to go to play T20s. We just wanted rescheduling of the Tests, not saying we won't tour. This is the best thing we can offer to Pakistan," Hassan added.
Hassan revealed he will fly to Dubai on Monday to discuss with International Cricket Council chairman Shashank Manohar the implications of skipping the Test series.
Pakistan recently hosted Sri Lanka in a two-Test series in December.
________________
Sri Lanka's historic Test tour of Pakistan
-
Fans at the pindi Cricket Stadium watch the first Test in Pakistan in a decade. AP -
Pakistan players stand for the national anthems before start of play on the first day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi. AP -
Pakistan's Usman Shinwari, left, and Abid Ali made their Test debuts on Wednesday. AP -
Security personnel stand guard on a street near the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. AFP -
Security personnel escort a convoy of Pakistan and Sri Lanka cricketers to the Pindi Cricket Stadium before the start of play. AFP -
Pakistan's Shaheen Shah unsuccessfully appeals for leg before against Sri Lanka's Oshada Fernando. AFP -
Sri Lanka batsman Dimuth Karunaratne, centre, was hit on the neck by a Naseem Shah hitting delivery in Rawalpindi on Wednesday. AP -
Pakistan's Mohammad Abbas celebrates after getting Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal bowled in Rawalpindi on Wednesday. AFP -
Pakistan's Mohammad Abbas bowls during the first day of the first Test. AFP -
Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne plays a flick on day one against Pakistan .AFP -
Mohammad Abbas after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal in Rawalpindi. AP -
Pakistan's Usman Shinwari, right, celebrates after dismissing Kusal Mendis in Rawalpindi. AFP
