Islami Bank East Zone skipper Mominul Haque and Walton Central Zone skipper Nazmul Hossain Shanto unveiled the trophy of the upcoming Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), a franchise-based four-day tournament, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

The 8th edition of the BCL will run in three phases from January 31 to February 24.

Four teams are participating in the tournament. Two franchise teams, Walton Central Zone and Islami Bank East Zone, will be playing in the league, while the other two teams, BCB North and BCB South, are being kept by the BCB under its own belt. Earlier, Prime Bank had pulled out of the South Zone.

Ahead of the main event kicking off on January 31, the players’ draft was held at the media block of SBNCS on January 27. Seventy-nine players, including national team players, were drafted into four teams.

National team players Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah Riyad, and Mushfiqur Rahim are likely to feature in the first and third rounds. But Mushfiqur Rahim is set to miss the first round due to fever and a hamstring injury.

In the first-round match, South Zone will take on BCB North at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, while East Zone will lock horns with Central Zone at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

The second- and third-round matches will be held on February 7–11 and 14–17, respectively, in Cox’s Bazar and Sylhet, while the top two teams will meet in the final, scheduled to be played at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on February 21–24.

After the trophy-unveiling ceremony at the main ground of the SBNCS, Islami Bank East Zone captain Mominul Haque and Walton Central Zone skipper Nazmul Hossain Shanto said they were happy with their squads and looked forward to playing good red ball cricket. “I think we’ve got a very good side and our team combination is pretty good. The national team players will leave in the middle. But apart from them, other players are experienced and quite capable of playing good cricket. So, I guess we won’t have too much of a problem. We’re going to move with a positive mindset,” Shanto told reporters yesterday.

“Our expectation is obviously high. We have to play our natural cricket. I captained the same team since last year. I know most of the players and have a good understanding with the coach. So, I’m enjoying it,” he said.

Shanto also said he loved to take the captain’s responsibility as it made him more active on the field. “The BCL has always been a competitive tournament because the teams are balanced. It has always been challenging and at the same time it boosts a bowler's or batsman’s confidence when he takes wickets or scores for his team. So, it’s a nice tournament for our players to play good red-ball cricket,” he added.

East Zone captain Mominul Haque feels the upcoming BCL first round will be a good preparatory stage for national team players ahead of the Pakistan Test. “I think that the BCL will help us a lot in the upcoming Pakistan series. If you play a tournament before any international cricket, it always creates a huge impact,” Mominul said.

“I have a few national team Test players in my team. As a captain, I can have a close look and establish good communication with the players. That will help me a lot in the upcoming Pakistan Test,” he added.

Talking about his BCL team, Mominul said, “I think we have got a strong side on both departments. I have got three to four bowlers Test bowlers and batsmen. Overall, it’s a balanced squad.”

HM