Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan returned home on Sunday night after securing a written agreement from India which would ensure four series against the Asian giants by the year 2020. The BCB voted in favour of the ‘big three’ in the International Cricket Council meeting on February 8 in Singapore which approved wide-ranging structural and governance reforms in the organisation after eight countries gave their support for the passing of the resolution.
In return of their vote, the BCB accomplished their mission of guaranteeing more international matches against the three cricket giants as they also agreed principally to host Australia and England although it was yet to be signed officially.
‘Our main objective was to play more matches with the big countries and we have been successful in doing that,’ Nazmul told reporters at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
‘We signed with India for a tour there in 2014 while in 2015, India will come to Bangladesh to play Test matches.
‘In August-September 2016, Bangladesh will tour India to play Test matches. While in June 2020, India will come to Bangladesh to play Tests and one-day internationals.
‘We have confirmed these so far, because every country has a very tight schedule,’ said Nazmul.
Regarding the other two countries of the ‘big three’, Nazmul said that he could not put pen to paper but had agreed principally.
‘Australia fixed a timeframe, October 2015, for a tour to Bangladesh,’ said Nazmul adding that, ‘In 2018 we will tour Australia to play Tests and ODIs while in July 2021, [Australia] will come again.’
‘Though we did not sign with [Australia] even then we principally agreed about the timeframe and now we will have to fix the date with them soon,’ he said.
‘England did not sign with us but they said that they will honour our [Future Tours Programme] till 2020,’ said BCB senior director Mahbub Anam, who accompanied Nazmul in Singapore.
‘We haven’t finalised it yet but [England] will come twice [to Bangladesh] to play Tests and one-dayers,’ he added.
Nazmul believed that the recent round of negotiations will provide them with the chance of doubling their revenue.
‘Whatever we have, it will at least be doubled,’ said Nazmul adding that, ‘The proposal progressed as we wanted it. So you can say that we have been successful.
‘There were 30-35 Test matches for us till the year 2020, according to the last FTP. Now, because of the [Mutual Participation Agreement] we have targeted around 50 Tests,’ he said.
Nazmul added that they have opted for Mashrafee bin Murtaza as skipper for the upcoming two-match Twenty20 International series as he was a tested leader.
‘Mashrafee has captained before. I feel that it [captaincy] will bring out the best in him,’ said Nazmul.
-With New Age input
