Shakib-al-Hasan and Mustafizur Rehman likely to leave IPL early

Shakib-al-Hasan and Mustafizur Rehman likely to leave IPL early

Quarantine rule is being imposed in Bangladesh by the health minister, therefore, Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and Rajasthan Royals fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman might have to return earlier from the ongoing Indian Premier League sooner than planned, the Bangladesh cricket chief Nizamuddin Chowdhury said on Monday. 

On May 1, a new quarantine rule came into effect which means foreign travellers coming from India and South Africa will have to isolate for 14-days before resuming work in the country. The Bangladesh Cricket Board will need special permission from the Directorate General of Health Services to get any relaxation on the rule. 

Before, the board were able to reduce the quarantine for their foreign coaching staff and cricketers but owing to extremity of the second wave of coronavirus, there are less chances that there will will be easing of for people coming from either India or South Africa. 

The Bangladesh national team recently completed a Test series against Sri Lanka, which they lost 1-0. They are expected to come back. However, they are not required to follow the same quarantine rule.

"We have asked them (Shakib and Mustafizur) to let us know what is their plan for the next 15 days while we have also asked the health ministry to know what kind of quarantine protocol the two players will need to follow,'' BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury told Cricbuzz on Monday.

Initially, Shakib and Mustafizur were expected to return on May 19 and join the team after satisfying a three-day quarantine for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, scheduled to start from May 23.

"If the health ministry suggests that they will have to follow seven or 14 days quarantine, they will have to return earlier than scheduled from IPL. But before that, we have to know what rules will be in place for them," he said. 

"We are bound by the Bangladesh Government rules, and will take decisions according to the guideline provided by the government," he added. 

The board are also trying to find out what quarantine protocols needs to be followed by travelers coming from South Africa. 

Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo and fielding coach Ryan Cook will return to South Africa before joining the team ahead of the home series against Sri Lanka.