Bangladesh Cricket Board Eyes Return of Overseas Players to Revitalize National Cricket League

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is exploring the possibility of allowing foreign players to participate in the National Cricket League (NCL) once again. This move aims to inject greater competitiveness into the country's premier first-class tournament.

The NCL is scheduled from October 15 to November 30 [File photo] © Getty

NCL is scheduled to be held from October 15 to November 30.

Previously, the BCB permitted NCL teams to recruit overseas cricketers, a provision lauded for its positive impact on nurturing local talent in the longer format of the game.

According to a BCB official closely involved in the development, the board is seeking approval to reinstate the inclusion of foreign players in NCL squads, a practice that has been absent for some time.

The official emphasized the potential benefits of this initiative, stating, "I think it will help the league to be more competitive... if we have a fast bowler (foreign) in the team, he will only be helpful as the (local) cricketers will be having a chance to hone their skill set facing them on those wickets for [a] substantial amount of period."

However, the availability of foreign cricketers poses a significant challenge, as other countries also host first-class tournaments during the same period. "Player availability is an issue as the Ranji Trophy or Quaid-e-Azam Trophy goes on at the same time and so we might have to look for other countries," the official added.

Other tournaments

In related news, BCB Head of Program Minhajul Abedin announced plans to commence the season with the NCL T20, scheduled from September 14 to October 4. This year's tournament will expand to three venues, a step up from last year's single-venue setup.

The BCB is also considering holding the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), a franchise-based 50-over tournament, from December 4-10. The four-day BCL competition is slated to begin in February, immediately following the BPL.

Sources within the BCB have indicated a high probability of a foreign team participating in the BCL, possibly an A team or high-performance squad from Afghanistan.