AFP
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Stand-in England one-day international captain Jos Buttler on Sunday said he hoped security issues will take a backseat once the squad starts its three-match series against hosts Bangladesh next week. Buttler is leading a 15-member England ODI squad, which arrived in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Friday and was immediately met by a security detail.
"Security is paramount when travelling to the sub-continent. (But) we are always looked after well," Buttler said in a press conference in Dhaka. "Obviously there is a lot of security but that's part and parcel of making the tour okay…I think those things will go back into the background. It will be a very competitive series.
"Bangladesh have been playing well in their own conditions. We need to be prepared," he said. "All we want to do is play cricket. Once we start, it will be very refreshing to start talking about the cricket side of things."
England's tour, which also includes two Tests, was thrown into doubt after an attack on a cafe in Dhaka in July that killed 18 foreigners, many of whom were hacked to death, by suspected Islamist militants. After their own security expert carried out an assessment in Bangladesh, the England Cricket Board decided to go ahead with a month-long tour that begins with a one-day warm-up match on October 4.
While Alastair Cook will continue to captain the Test team, one-day international (ODI) side skipper Eoin Morgan has decided not to travel on security grounds, handing over the responsibility to wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler.
"It is an exciting challenge and something that I have been looking forward to," said Buttler. "I have been vice-captain for the last 18 months or so. I have a good relation with Eoin (Morgan), and I think we share very similar views on cricket and how we like the side to play. It is very much a short term thing."
Buttler said his side wants to maintain the way they were playing over the past one-and-half years since they were ousted by Bangladesh from the group stage of the World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand. "We will be ready to get used to the conditions," said Buttler. "We are focused on ourselves and what we need to prepare. We are a young athletic team and I will want us to play in the same way," he said.
The three-match series will start in Dhaka on October 7.
