Tamim Iqbal thanks NZC

Bangladesh ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal said that despite the difficulties faced while quarantining for 14 days, Bangladesh players felt gratitude for the treatment they received from New Zealand Cricket.

Bangladesh players are free to roam around following the completion of their 14-day quarantine. They tested negative for the virus following quarantine and today moved to Queenstown for a five-day conditioning camp. Before heading off from Christchurch, Tamim said that it was good to be finally ‘out’.

“It feels great, it's a first-time experience for us. We have been in a bubble but not in complete isolation and honestly, they have looked after us really well. All the staff and the way New Zealand Cricket arranged everything; from our team, we can only say thank you. I thought it was a difficult place to be but they made it as comfortable as possible,” Tamim said while talking to local media.

The pandemic has made things more difficult for cricketers who already had concerns about long tours. The 14-day quarantine adds a different dimension to the challenge faced by professional sportsmen. Tamim felt that the necessary things need to be done to ensure safety.

“Yeah definitely, it makes a huge difference [quarantine protocols]. We have to live in New Zealand for 45 days whereas, in a normal situation, we could have been here for 20 days and go home. We have to isolate for 14 days and things are different now. We have to respect the rules of the country and look forward. Good thing is that we're out in fresh air,” he said.