Four-team BCL to begin Jan 31

Dhaka — Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), four-team franchise-based first-class cricket competition of the country, is set to begin on January 31.

The players’ draft of the ensuing league was held on Monday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

Walton Group and Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd will run the franchise of Central Zone and East Zone respectively while Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will run the other two franchise- BCB North Zone and BCB South Zone.

This year’s BCL will be held on single-league basis with each team playing one match against other team. In the previous season, the BCB was a double-league event.

On completion of the single league, top two teams will play in the final.

BCB official said they will try to arrange the final under artificial lights and the match will be played with pink ball and the final match will be telecast live.

Before the draft, every team retained six players from their previous squads of the last season.

Walton Central Zone retained Saif Hassan, Shuvagata Hom, Taibur Rahman, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Arafat Sunny and Shahidul Islam while Islami Bank East Zone retained Imrul Kayes, Abu Jayed Chowdhury, Afif Hossain, Mominul Haque, Naeem Hasan and Tamim Iqbal.

BCB North Zone kept Ariful Haque, Naeem Islam, Mushfiqur Rahim, Junaid Siddique, Sunzamul Islam and Ebadot Hossain while BCB South Zone retained Abdur Razzak, Al Amin Hossain, Anamul Haque, Mehedi Hasan, Nurul Hasan and Shafiul Islam.

BCB teams after the draft:

Walton Central Zone: Saif Hassan, Shuvagata Hom, Taibur Rahman, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Arafat Sunny, Shahidul Islam, Mohammad Mithun, Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Rakibul Hasan, Mukidul Islam, Zakir Ali, Nazmul Islam Apu, Mohammad Naeem Sheikh, Abdul Majid, Ifran Hossain, Sohrawordi Shubho, Akbar Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz

Islami Bank East Zone: Imrul Kayes, Abu Jayed Chowdhury, Afif Hossain, Mominul Haque, Naeem Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Rubel Hossain, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Pinak Ghosh, Hasan Mahmud, Zakir Hassan, Nasir Hossain, Taijul Islam, Amit Hassan, Riazur Rahman, Tanvir Islam, Imran Uzman, Khaled Ahmed, Roni Chowdhury, Mohammad Ashraful.

BCB North Zone: Ariful Haque, Naeem Islam, Mushfiqur Rahim, Junaid Siddique, Sunzamul Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Rony Talukder, Suman Khan, Liton Das, Taskin Ahmed, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Rishad Hossain, Sanjit Saha, Salauddin Sakil, Zahurul Islam, Tanbir Haider Khan, Enamul Haque Jr., Mizanur Rahman, Muktar Ali, Hossain Ali

BCB South Zone: Abdur Razzak, Al Amin Hossain, Anamul Haque, Mehedi Hasan, Nurul Hasan, Shafiul Islam, Mahmudullah Riyad, Fazle Mahmud Rabbi, Farhad Reza, Shamsur Rahman, Al Amin, Nasum Ahmed, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Shahriar Nafees, Rabiul Haque, Irfan Shukkur, Aminul Islam, Mahmudul Hassan Joy, Ruyel Miah.UNB