Dhaka: Australia has cancelled the only warm-up match of their two-Test tour of Bangladesh due to poor conditions at the ground, officials said on Monday.
The two-day match at Fatullah, slated to start on Tuesday, had been in doubt since heavy rain partially flooded part of the field.
It was the only warm-up fixture of the tour, Australia’s first to Bangladesh in more than a decade.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) offered alternative venues but the Australians were reluctant to change at the last minute due to security concerns.
“The BCB has been fantastic trying to get us the game. The amount of rain hasn’t helped,” coach Darren Lehman told reporters in Dhaka.
“We looked at various facilities around Dhaka. We feel for the people of Bangladesh with the amount of rain they have had. There are a lot of people in this country struggling because of the rain. So the [team’s] thoughts are with them.”
Bangladesh’s disaster agency says 115 people have died since heavy monsoon downpours hit the region last week, flooding one-third of the country.
