Emerging Asia Cup from Mar 27
Bangladesh to play Hong Kong in opener from Mar 27
Sports Reporter
All the participating overseas teams are slated to arrive in Bangladesh today to play the second edition of the Emerging Teams Asia Cup-2017.
After the arrival in Dhaka, they will travel to their respective host city at the same day as the group phase matches will be held at four different grounds of Coxs Bazar and Chittagong.
All the Group-B matches will be held at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium (SKICS) and SKICS Academy Ground, whilst Group-A matches will be held at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) and MA Aziz Stadium (MAAS) in Chittagong.
In Coxs Bazar, all the four teams will be accommodated at Hotel Coxs Today before the end of the group phase matches (Group-B). Then those, who will be progressed to the semifinal stage, will head for the port city. The rest of the four teams will be accommodated at Hotel Peninsula till the end of the tournament.
Of course, the ZACS and the MAAS will also host the semifinal matches. But the ZACS will feature the grand final of the eight nation tournament to be held on April 3. The final, a day-night affair, will be only match which will telecast live from the stadium.
As per the schedule, Hong Kong is the first foreign side, who is slated to land in Dhaka in morning and that they will then travel to Coxs Bazar, in where they will hold their practice at afternoon session to dovetail with the weather and condition.
They will launch their campaign with Bangladesh on the opening day at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium (SKICS) on March 27. They have been drawn in Group-B with Pakistan and Nepal.
Neighbouring Nepal led by its captain Gyanendra Malla and Pakistan led by captain Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper-batsman) will follow Hong Kong. They will also travel to Coxs Bazar at the same day.
The other Group-A have been comprised of defending champions India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Afghanistan. Baba Aparajith will lead India to defend their title that they clinched in Singapore in 2013.
Bangladesh Cricket Board has already announced the local team with Test teams top order batsman Mominul Haque will lead the side and Nasir Hossain will act as his deputy. The has already started their preparation in Coxs Bazar, the home town of Mominul Haque, under the supervision of coach Mizanur Rahman Babul.
