The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has received its fair share of criticism over the years, but the head coach of the Bangladesh national team has gone further, saying he turns off TV when he sees BPL. In a recent interview with ESPNCricinfo, Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha expressed his disappointment with the culture T20 events. “There has to be some regulation,” he said. “A player is playing one tournament and then playing another tournament. It's like a circus.” Hathurusingha clearly outlined his frustration with Bangladesh “not having a proper T20 tournament.” He goes so far as to say, “This sounds very odd, but when I'm watching the BPL, I sometimes turn off the TV. Some players are not even of the class. I have a big issue with the current system.” The coach emphasized the need for a T20 event where Bangladeshi bowlers can practice bowling in the death overs, and where Bangladeshi batters can gain experience batting at the top of the order. Read more: BPL Spectacle: What Makes Tawhid Shine with a Century? “A franchise does what it wants,” Hathurusingha added. “Some of my best players are not playing (the BPL). So then how do you expect the Bangladesh team to be up with the other teams? I am fighting a steep battle.” The BPL 2024 has entered the playoffs, with the eliminator and the first qualifier taking place in Dhaka on February 27. Right after BPL, Bangladesh will take on Sri Lanka in a full series — three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests. Hathurusingha believes the series against Sri Lanka will see the real rivalry in the field, but he also mentioned that Bangladesh will be underdog against Sri Lanka in T20Is. “We are developing as a T20 team. We are underdogs, to be honest. It is a good challenge for us. I am still confident we will give them a good fight. We will understand where we are at, ahead of the World Cup, after this series,” Hathurusingha added in the interview. Read more: BPL Mid-Season Standout Stars: Naim, Shoriful Lead as Tournament Shifts to Chattogram

ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent Mohammad Isam is going to conduct a Sports Journalism workshop for the third time. Lawrence Booth, editor of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, will attend the workshop as a guest speaker. The course will be conducted online . READ: New Zealand opt to bat first in 4th T20I vs Bangladesh A month-long Sports Writing Workshop, organised by sports website pavilion.com.bd and conducted by Mohammad Isam, will start in mid September. The online aspect opens up the possibility of people outside Dhaka taking part in the course. There will be eight sessions this time, compared to four on the previous occasions. Lawrence Booth, editor of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, will be a guest speaker in one of the classes. READ: To take the series, Tigers must dig deep against resurgent Kiwis Around 40 participants took part in the first two chapters of the workshop in 2018 and 2019. This workshop will cover various aspects of sports writing, a profession that is fast becoming popular in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Test captain Mominul Haque says mental fitness is also important for cricketers to stay strong during this coronavirus pandemic.