BCB set to organise BCL to prepare for Pakistan ODI series

An official from Bangladesh Cricket Board said that they will host a four-team Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) 50-over tournament, from the third week of February. Bangladesh are eyeing this competition as preparation for the three-match ODI series against Pakistan later in March.

After the series in March, both teams are slated to face each other once again in May for a two-match Test series.

BCB initially announced that they are eyeing to host BCL as an Under-23 One-Day tournament from February to develop the pipeline for national team. But as it stands, they are currently planning to shelve it for the time being.

Cricbuzz understands BCB cricket operations recently asked the BCB tournament committee to push the proposed Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) Under-23 version from February to some other suitable time. Instead, the BCL One-Day tournament will be given the green light which shall consist of senior team players.

Abu Emam Mohammed Kawsar, BCB tournament committee manager, confirmed the development to this website on Thursday.

"Yes, we had planned for the BCL Under-23 in this February but from cricket operations we were told that we need our senior players in the field because most of them won't be playing any cricket since Bangladesh is not participating in the ongoing T20 World Cup, and they have a Pakistan series in March where they will play ODIs," said Kawsar.

"So we are hosting BCL one-dayers with senior cricketers in February instead of BCL Under-23 and now we are planning to host the U-23 tournament at some other suitable place," he said.

The first round of BCL is expected to kick off either on February 22 or 23 as per the tentative schedule while the final is scheduled to be played by the first week of March.

It was learnt Rajshahi and Bogra will host the first three rounds of the tournament while Mirpur Sher-e Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka will host the final.

Kawsar also added that they are expected to host two rounds of BCL four-day competition before the Test series against Pakistan.

"We planned the BCL four-day in the second week of April and want to complete first two rounds of the tournament before the Test series against Pakistan that is scheduled in May as we feel it will help the Test cricketers to prepare for the longer- format series," he said.

The four teams competing in the BCL are Central Zone, East Zone, North Zone and South Zone.