The Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), the country’s only franchise-based four-day tournament, is facing significant challenges related to pink-ball availability and scheduling conflicts.
The BCB tournament committee initially planned to host the four-team tournament in May using the pink ball, aiming to make playing conditions more manageable for cricketers, as the extreme summer heat could be a major factor. However, securing pink balls on short notice has become a logistical hurdle for the cricket board.
“I don’t think we can bring pink balls on such short notice. There is a slight chance of bringing cricket balls in person, but bank approval will take some time,” said a BCB official, highlighting the bureaucratic delays in procuring the required equipment.
Apart from the pink-ball issue, scheduling conflicts are also creating complications. This will be the first time that the BCL is scheduled to take place in May. Previously, the tournament was held in December during the winter season.
However, starting this year, the BCB has allocated that time slot for the National Cricket League (NCL) T20, a newly introduced 20-over domestic tournament. As a result, the BCL has been rescheduled to the April-May window.
The revised schedule, however, clashes with several key cricketing commitments. The BCB High-Performance Team will be playing a series against South Africa’s Emerging Team, while the Bangladesh A team will be engaged in a series against New Zealand A. Additionally, the national team has year-long bilateral commitments, making it difficult for top players to be available for the BCL.
With so many overlapping tournaments and series, finalizing a date for the BCL has become a significant challenge for the tournament committee.
“We will sit with the selectors and see what solution we can come up with,” said a BCB official.
Despite these hurdles, the BCB tournament committee remains committed to ensuring that the BCL takes place, but balancing international and domestic commitments remains a tough task.
Source: Daily Sun
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