BCL to kick off from today

The fifth version of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), a franchise-based four-team first class competition, starts from today.

Walton Central Zone will take on Islami Bank East Zone at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra while BCB North Zone will face off against Prime Bank South Zone at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in the opening day's fixtures.

From the recently returned New Zealand touring party, only left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, who did not play any match on the long trip in New Zealand, and batsman Mosaddek Hossain have been drafted to the squads.

The league will miss the services of most of the national players as the Tigers have back-to-back international tours -- they will visit India to play a one-off Test from February 9 and that will be followed by a full tour of Sri Lanka.

The BCL was originally scheduled to start in September last year but the franchises were apparently reluctant to play without the national cricketers and then it was scheduled to kick off from January 20 this year.

“I personally believe we cannot compromise with the schedule, not even for a single domestic tournament because of the availability of the national players. It's high time that we come out of the age-old culture; instead we must follow the calendar,” said national selector Habibul Bashar.   

SQUADS

ISLAMI BANK EAST ZONE: Mehedi Maruf, Liton Das, Alok Kapali, Tasamul Haque, Yasir Ali, Zakir Hasan, Ifran Sukkur, Mohammad Saifuddin, Abul Hasan, Abu Jayed, Saqlain Sajib, Rahatul Ferdous, Ebadat Hossain, Saddman Islam and Shahanur Rahman.

PRIME BANK SOUTH ZONE: Abdur Razzak, Anamul Haque, Shahriar Nafees, Fazle Mahmud, Tushar Imran, Mohammad Mithun, Al Amin Jr, Mosaddek Hossain, Ziaur Rahman, Shohag Gazi, Al Amin Hossain, Nazmul Islam, Salman Hossain, Towhidul Islam and Moinul Islam.

WALTON CENTRAL ZONE: Shamsur Rahman, Saif Hasan, Rokibul Hasan, Marshal Ayub, Taibur Rahman, Shuvagata Hom, Tanbir Hayder, Mosharraf Hossain, Mohammad Sharif, Shahidul Islam, Abdul Majid, Shahadat Hossain, Mohammad Sharifullah, Zakir Ali and Dewan Sabbir.

BCB NORTH ZONE: Naeem Islam, Junaed Siddique, Jahurul Islam, Mahmudul Hasan, Sadman Islam, Nasir Hossain, Dhiman Ghosh, Ariful Haque, Farhad Hossain, Sanjamul Islam, Shafiul Islam, Saddam Hossain, Yeasin Arafat, Farhad Reza, Suhrawardi Shuvo and Taijul Islam.