DHAKA: Bangladesh on Sunday decided to stay firm in their decision to just play three Twenty20 internationals in Pakistan later this month, dismissing a Pakistani proposal to take part in a full Test series.

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan said the recent tension in the Middle East between Iran and the United States was the main reason behind the decision as the government had given the board permission to send the team only for a short period.

“The current state in the Middle East is definitely different than other times. So considering escalating tension in that particular region, they (the government) have told us to keep the tour as short as possible,” Hassan told reporters in Dhaka after a meeting of the BCB board.—AFP