Bangladesh cricket team left without sponsor and broadcaster ahead of Sri Lanka tour

Much like other cricketing boards, the Bangladesh Cricket Board is also bearing the brunt of the financial ramifications of the pandemic. The Bangladesh cricket team is currently without a sponsor and the board is actively searching for the same, even if it is for a temporary term. Additionally, the board also does not have a media rights deal in place. The team is currently scheduled to tour Sri Lanka in October for a three-match Test series which will constitute a part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship.

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Bangladesh board search for sponsors ahead of Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh 2020 series

In an interview with The Independent, Bangladesh Cricket Board Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nizamuddin Chowdhury confirmed that their national side does not have a sponsor right now. He added that they are looking for a temporary solution and will look for a long-term deal sometime later when the “overall market situation becomes normal”. Well aware about the upcoming Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh 2020 series, the Bangladesh Cricket Board CEO admitted that finding long-term sponsors during a pandemic is very difficult.

While addressing the media rights issue, Chowdhury said that their priority now is to get sponsors for the Bangladesh cricket team on board first. He concluded by saying: “All issues including media rights will be resolved along with team sponsorship.”

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Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh 2020 updates

The Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh 2020 series is expected to commence in the final week of October and will run till sometime in November. The series will mark the return of Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan, who was banned for one year by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after he failed to report illegal advances made to him by bookmakers.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh players in IPL 2020

The Indian Premier League 2020 (IPL 2020) season is scheduled to be played between September 19 and November 10 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The tournament will feature Sri Lankan presence as pacer Isuru Udana was purchased by the Royal Challengers Bangalore during the IPL 2020 auction last year. However, IPL 2020 is not expected to clash with the Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh 2020 series as Udana plays only limited-overs matches for his national side.

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Image source: BCB Tigers Twitter