Australia national cricket team on Saturday left Dhaka for India after accomplishing a satisfactory 23-day long tour in Bangladesh amid huge security during the two-match Test series against the hosts. Aussie skipper Steve Smith, his deputy David Warner and other players — Ashton Agar, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade, who are in the 14-member squad, departed Dhaka with some of their officials to take part five ODIs and three Twenty-20 internationals against India.
The Australia team management cited their security concerns in various times before coming to this part of the world but they were enamored with the security facilities provided by the law enforcement agencies of Bangladesh government.
Despite there was an incident when the visiting side alleged that their team bus was stoned after the end of first day’s play in the second Test in Chittagong but none of the players sustained any injury in the incident.
Bangladesh Cricket Board formed an enquiry committee after the incident but they found nothing serious in the matter although the authorities took additional measures to make Australia team comfortable after the incident took place.
Australian skipper Steve Smith, their coach Darren Lehmann, Cricket Australia’s anti-corruption and security unit manager Sean Carroll and other players showed their satisfaction with the security arrangements in several times during their three-week long tour in Bangladesh.
‘Our security team is very happy. They [BCB] have done a lot hard work and we are happy with the security provided in Bangladesh,’ Smith told reporters on his first press conference on August 19 after arriving in the capital.
Aussie coach Lehmann was a bit worried after the stone-incident but he was fascinated with the wonderful joint works of the local authorities and Cricket Australia for the security of their side.
‘We’ve been well-informed. Startled when it happened obviously but security has been unbelievable while we’ve been here’, the 47-year old former Australian international informed on Tuesday after the end of second day’s play in Chittagong.
‘Both security teams – ours and Bangladesh’s – have been fantastic. They talk us through these things and we leave it to the security side of things for that,’ he added.
Although the Aussies were pleased with the off-field issues during the tour, they left with a mixed feeling on their on-field performances as they could only hold the hosts to a 1-1 series draw after defeating them by seven wickets in the second Test and went with something to cheer for.
The Tigers snatched a historical 20-run victory over the visiting side in the first Test in Dhaka, first win in five meetings against Australia in Tests and both the country’s first Test match after a gap of 11 years since the Aussies visited Bangladesh back in 2006.
The Aussie players were slammed by their own media after their loss in the first Test and criticised for the dismal performance with marking the team as their country’s all time low performances in the history.
-With New Age input
