South Africa have declined a proposal from Bangladesh to play three ODIs and five Twenty20 matches in May. Cricket South Africa (CSA) met with the South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) on Tuesday and they decided that the international schedule for 2012 would not allow for the series to take place.

"As much as we would like to help another cricket country, it is not going to be possible," Jacques Faul, CSA's acting chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo. "With the volume of cricket to be played this year, sometimes rest is more important."

SACA had indicated on Monday that they would not support the idea of a series against Bangladesh because of the crowded calendar. On consultation with the medical and administrative staff of the national team, including team manager Mohammad Moosajee and coach Gary Kirsten, CSA felt the same way. "We agreed with SACA," Faul said. "We have a big year ahead and our players are scattered over the IPL and county cricket, so we cannot play this series."

South Africa are due to play Zimbabwe in five Twenty20 practice matches in Harare between June 20 and 24, before heading to England for a tour of over two months. They will then play the World T20 in Sri Lanka and also travel to Australia in October-November, before hosting New Zealand at the end of the year.

The Bangladesh board had approached CSA with the request last week, after their tour to Pakistan was postponed by a court order. Their August visit to Zimbabwe was also moved because of work being done to the pitches in Harare and Bulawayo. It left Bangladesh without any international cricket until the World Twenty20 in September.

With the IPL only ending on May 27, South Africa would have had to play without some of their key players if the Bangladesh series was to take place. CSA decided it would not fit in with their plans to consider the series, which would have had to be played in South Africa. The Bangladesh summer is deemed too hot for cricket while South Africa would have struggled to find a venue as well, with the Highveld (Johannesburg and Pretoria) and Cape Town unable to host matches in winter.