NAIROBI, Oct 3: Test strugglers Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have both turned down an offer by Kenya to play them in one-day international claiming their national sides needed a break, local officials said on Monday.

Kenya, without any meaningful international fixture since the 2004 Champions Trophy in England, is keen to play top-quality opposition ahead of this month’s ICC International Cup semifinals in Namibia.

Although they have been assured of two three-day matches with the Zimbabwe A side, the Kenya Cricket Association (KCA) had requested for a one-dayer with the Zimbabwe national team during their stop-over.

But the Zimbabweans, who like Bangladesh have just come off from heavy defeats to India and Sri Lanka in the past month said their teams needed a break to rest from cricket.

“We have knocked on their doors to play and both have given us the same reasons,” said KCA chairman Samir Inamdar. “We have to take them with a pinch of salt.”

In a bid to improve its one-day rankings, The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had announced plans last July to host a triangular series involving Kenya and Zimbabwe between November and January next year.

The Bangladeshis, however who were placed 11, a place behind Kenya in the rankings have since overtaken the East Africans.—AFP