Tour to happen barring another 'atrocity'?

On the day that England's ODI squad is to be briefed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) security team about the safety situation on their scheduled tour of Bangladesh in October, UK newspaper The Telegraph has reported that "England are expected to be given the go-ahead to tour Bangladesh, although certain players may decline to take the risk".

The report further states that "another atrocity in the country – anything remotely on the lines of the July 1 attack by five gunmen on a café in Dhaka – will lead to a cancellation".

That is of course a reference to the grizzly attacks on the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan that claimed the lives of 20 civillians and two policemen, which cast serious security fears on England's visit to play two Tests and three ODIs. 

The report also mentions plans to move the one-day practice match from Fatullah to the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur in order to reduce the risk from travelling within the city, a fear that The Telegraph in an earlier report claimed the security team had after visiting Bangladesh.

On Tuesday England ODI skipper Eoin Morgan said that the decision to tour may be left up to individual players. That was followed by Bangladesh limited-overs skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza urging England players to come on tour and leave the decision to the respective boards. 

A 15-man England ODI squad is scheduled to land in Bangladesh on 30 September as the ODis are to take place first, and it is the ODi players who will be given the briefing today evening in the team hotel in London. England Test captain Alastair Cook is also expected to join the meeting, as well as members of the team management and the director of cricket Andrew Strauss, The Telegraph reports.