Team India book Dec 8 flight to Dhaka

[mahbubH]

The Indian cricket team has booked a morning flight to Dhaka from Kolkata on Wednesday, even as the country's five-member security delegation has begun their assessment of the measures taken for squad's safety in Bangladesh.

"The team has been booked by an Indian Airlines flight departing Kolkata at 11.20 am tomorrow. The players are likely to assemble in Kolkata by this evening," Indian cricket board sources said in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The tour came under a cloud following a death threat from a militant group, Harkat-ul-Zihadi, warning the cricketers not to undertake the tour through a letter sent to the Indian High Commission in the Bangladesh capital.

Meanwhile, the security team led by Inspector General of Police for VIP security, Yashovardhan Azad, has already started its assessment of the security measures put in place by the Bangladesh authorities at the stadiums where the matches are to be held and at the teams' hotels.

The Indian team was to leave for Dhaka on Tuesday, but the departure was delayed following the threat.

The squad is slated to play two Tests and three One-Day Internationals against the hosts at Dhaka and Chittagong between December 9 and 27.

Source (http://www.htcricket.com/htcricket/14_1140971.htm)

[mahbubH]

India's B'desh tour itinerary could change

The itinerary of the Indian cricket team could undergo a change even if the team goes ahead of its tour of Bangladesh this week.

"I have also heard that the (two) matches that were to be played at Chittagong are likely to be shifted to Dhaka (for security reasons)," Neeta Bhushan, spokesperson of the Indian high commission in Dhaka, told IANS over telephone from Dhaka.

"Today, they would meet the Indian High Commissioner (Veena Sikri) and other officials in the commission, police officials, and would also visit the National Stadium (where three matches are scheduled)," she said.

When asked whether there was a move afoot to shift the two matches - one Test and one One-Day International - from Chittagong to Dhaka for security reasons, Bhushan said: "Yes, I have also heard that."

According to the schedule, India are to play the first Test at Dhaka starting on Thursday and move to Chittagong for the second Test that begins on December 16.

The three One-Day Internationals are to be played at Chittagong (December 23) and Dhaka (December 25 and December 27).

The itinerary could change now.

An Indian security team, currently in Dhaka to assess the situation for Indian cricketers following death threats ahead of their tour, would visit the match venues, meet the Indian high commissioner, police officials and others before returning, she said.

The four-member team will also visit the hotel where the Indian team would stay, Bhushan said.

According to Bhushan, the recce team landed in Dhaka at around 6 p.m. Monday and met a few officials.

Source (http://www.htcricket.com/htcricket/14_1141249.htm)

[bdmoderator]

:great: So India is coming... :great:

[Mr-khan]

:) Good news. After all they are coming.

[mahbubH]

এরপরই ভারত সরকার ও ভারতীয় িਠઙেকট কে੩টચাল োবােডગর কমગকতગারা োসামবার আজেকর কাগজেক নাম োগাপন রাখার শেতગ জািনেয় িদেয়েছন সফর হেবই এবং িনধગািরত সমেয়ই৷

--- source Ajker kagoj

[Tintin]

Translation, please .....

[cricketfan]

Title of this thread gives the impression that the Indian security team has given the go ahead and the tour is cleared. It is not the case. It is just that the Indian team had booked their tickets for 8th once their tour was postponed by a day.

[sangeet]

News from Times of India (http://cricket.indiatimes.com/articleshow/950176.cms)

[mahbubH]

Indian board awaits government's green signal

Cricinfo staff

December 7, 2004



The Indian board now awaits feedback from the delegation that is inspecting security arrangements in Bangladesh © AFP

India's tour of Bangladesh continued to remain under a cloud even as the team began to assemble in Kolkata on Tuesday evening and remained in a state of readiness to embark on the tour. The board is prepared to depart at short notice if given the green signal by the government.

SK Nair, the secretary of the board, told Cricinfo, "We are awaiting instructions from the government. Till we get instructions there is nothing we can do. However, the board has made arrangements for the team to leave even on the shortest possible notice. We have instructed the players to assemble in Kolkata by tonight (December 7) or at the very latest by 8th morning. We have blocked tickets on several flights at different times and have kept our options open."

The first Test was scheduled to start on December 9, but it was not clear whether the Indian team would reach Dhaka in time for the Test to start as scheduled.

[James90]

Why would they give the exact time they were leaving...that's stupid

[mahbubH]

Originally posted by Tintin
Translation, please .....

The newspapers sources (inside BCCI and BCB) ensured that tour will go on.

Edited on, December 7, 2004, 1:21 PM GMT, by sports_fan_bd.

[chinaman]

Originally posted by Tintin
Translation, please .....

Rough translation:

On monday, Indian govt and BCCI officials told the Ajker Kagoj on condition of anonymity that the tour will go ahead and on time.

[Fazal]

No more waiting game!!!!

:joy::joy::fire::fire::joy::joy:

[Sam]

Originally posted by cricketfan
Title of this thread gives the impression that the Indian security team has given the go ahead and the tour is cleared. It is not the case. It is just that the Indian team had booked their tickets for 8th once their tour was postponed by a day.
No, it has already been declared officially that the Indian government has cleared the Dhaka matches and the squad will leave tomorrow from Calcutta.
The Security Team from GoI will decide the match in Chittagong after their visit to Chittagong. "The security team will now travel to Chittagong and they will then advise us whether we can play there"- stated by BCCI Official. I strongly believe that it is going to be cleared also.

Moreover, there is every possibility to roll the match exactly as per schedule on thursday, the 9th Dec.

On behalf of all the BD fans I welcome this decision and wish for a festive environment on and off the ground, as well as in our forum.

Edited on, December 7, 2004, 4:43 PM GMT, by Sam.

[chyicarus]

Excellent ppl! Lets play some ball!!!

[bourny3]

Good call Hfan. If groups were going to strike the Indians then they would on their plane over. And to give out the time of their plane is stupidity.

[cricketfan]

Indian team has arrived in Dhaka

Indian team lands in Dhaka (http://ind.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/DEC/122992_BDESHIND2004-05_08DEC2004.html)

[Sam]

Originally posted by cricketfan
Indian team has arrived in Dhaka

Indian team lands in Dhaka (http://ind.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/DEC/122992_BDESHIND2004-05_08DEC2004.html)
...under tight security, although Ganguly expressed no fear about the threat.

[Fazal]

.... but he is not taking it lightly (atleast in public) about Bangladeshi bowling threat.