The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) used the glitzy launch of its T20 National Cricket League to look ahead. President Aminul Islam told the audience at a Dhaka hotel on a recent evening that the board is now planning a one-day version of the competition, to be recognized as a List A tournament.
“The T20 league worked,” Aminul said. “We are considering the one-day format next. That will carry List A status.”
The announcement came as the BCB rolled out the second edition of the NCL T20, set to start September 14 across three venues. Teams have completed fitness tests and begin practice this week.
Tournament committee chairman Akram Khan said a few hundred free tickets per match will be distributed to junior cricketers so they can watch from the stands.
But the evening was not all celebration.
Aminul himself raised the subject that still hangs over Bangladesh cricket: fixing. “How can we keep it clean? How can we avoid the fixing?” he asked from the stage.
His comments came as controversy brewed over one player in attendance. The player, whose name has been linked with wrongdoing in last year’s BPL inquiry, was seated in the front row with other team captains. That drew surprise from officials, one of whom admitted, “I don’t know what is going on. I am shocked.”
The BCB has already discussed quietly keeping some senior players out of tournaments while it studies the findings of a three-member inquiry.
Aminul later told reporters another committee, including a retired judge, will now take the matter forward.
“So many legal matters are involved that there is no chance of making a mistake. We are taking steps,” he said.
Integrity training for players, match officials and groundsmen will be made mandatory, Aminul added. “They will have to sign after the training. Only then will they be allowed to participate.”
The first edition of the NCL T20 was played in Sylhet last year and drew a decent response. This time the board hopes for bigger crowds and cleaner headlines.