The second edition of the Bangladesh Cricket League – the country’s only franchise-based four-day tournament – is set to start on January 12 at the BKSP grounds, Bangladesh Cricket Board officials said on Monday. The decision was made after BCB officials concluded a successful meeting with representatives of the three participating franchises – Walton, Prime Bank and Islami Bank – at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
A fourth team will play under the BCB banner, as was the case during the inaugural edition of the BCL.
The BCB decided to start the
BCL immediately because it had
failed to hold the National Cricket League on January 8 as scheduled. The BCB had been unable to provide logistical support for the first-class competition.
‘The national selectors will select player pools of 20 members for each franchises soon,’ BCB game development chairman and Prime Bank official Khaled Mahmud said after the meeting.
‘The franchises will choose their 15-member squads from them.’
The confirmation of the BCL from next week came as huge relief for the BCB, which was eager to play some longer-version matches ahead of the Sri Lanka tour beginning on January 27.
Sri Lanka is expected to arrive on January 24 to play two Test matches, three one-day internationals and two Twenty20 Internationals.
‘The Bangladesh national cricket team will start their preparation camp from January 21,’ said BCB cricket operations chairman Akram Khan.
Meanwhile, they will complete two rounds of the tournament, which will provide the players with an oppuntunity to feature in two longer-version matches before the Test series,’ said Akram.
The BCL will be played at BKSP-2 and -3, and players and officials are expected to stay at the hostel premises to avoid any transportation difficulties during the tournament.
-With New Age input
