It feels like we're in jail: Miraz on isolation in New Zealand

From 20 March to 1 April, in the span of 12 days, Bangladesh will play against hosts New Zealand in three ODIs and T20Is. 

But the tour to New Zealand hasn't been a 12-15 day journey.

Because of Covid-19 rules and regulations, the team has had to travel there with 14 days in hand and as a result, the tour has become a 38-day-long one. 

And in such a new environment and with new regulations, it is taking the Bangladesh cricketers time to adjust themselves. 

After reaching Christchurch on 24 February, the cricketers and coaching staff have had to be indoors in their rooms.

In the first five days, only twice have the Bangladesh cricketers been able to get out of their rooms and that too for 30-40 minutes  

Even when outside of their rooms they have had to maintain social distancing of two meters from each other before returning to their rooms. 

It's not easy for the cricketers and Mehidy Hasan Miraz has also echoed that sentiment. 

The right-handed all-rounder has informed the media of this via a video call: "You can obviously understand that it's not been easy going for us. This is the first time I've had to spend five continuous days in a hotel room. In the beginning, time stood still and we couldn't meet anyone."

"For the first three days, we couldn't meet each other. We had to communicate with our phones and through video calls. It was boring at first. Now that five days have passed, I'm hopeful that the three remaining days will go by smoothly," Miraz added. 

Even though Miraz speaks of passing the remaining days in quarantine smoothly, he does add that it feels like they've been locked up in jail.

"In these five days, we've been able to get out of our rooms for 30 minutes twice. When I got out for the first time, I felt nauseous at first. Then after 10-15 mins, things became normal. The three days I was in the hotel room made me feel like I was in jail and it felt frustrating," Miraz explained. 

Even though it was for a small time, the cricketers have breathed a sigh of relief after being able to get out of their rooms.

"When we got out and got acclimatised with the weather, it felt nice. When I went back in my room I felt fresh. We got to get out of our room for half an hour today too. Staying in a room all day doesn't feel very nice. Staying there for three-four days straight does cause us discomfort and getting out for 30 mins does make us feel better," Miraz said. 

After seven days of being in isolation, the Bangladesh team will be able to go out as normal, after a negative Covid result.

From doing gym to regular match practice and preparation, everything can be done as normal.

Miraz says that only then will things feel normal and better for him.

"After six-seven days, when we will be able to go to the gym and take part in practice sessions, It'll feel much better. Now, time is standing still. If we had some gym facilities here then the time would have gone by better and our fitness would have also been better," he concluded.

The series will begin on 20 March at Dunedin with the first of three ODIs with the second one happening on 23rd March at Christchurch, a day-nighter. 

And finally, the third match will be in Wellington on 26 March.   

The three T20Is will happen on 28 and 30 March and 1 April at Napier, Auckland and Hamilton respectively.