ZCZC
BSP-09
CRICKET-BCB-U19-PLAN
BCB chalks out plan for Akbar & co amid pandemic
DHAKA, July 16, 2020 (BSS)—The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to back out from their original plan for the Under-19 World Cup winning cricketers even though the COVID-19 pandemic ruined some crucial times.
The outbreak of COVID-19 was at a moment when these boys were fully ready to start their preparation to be the next big thing of the country as the BCB is set to give them world class facilities and some renowned coaches.
Once they won the Under-19 World Cup, beating mighty India by three-wickets in a nail-biting final, BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon said that they would ensure that the players won’t loss their way like the previous batches.
The BCB then took them under two years contract, with ensuring a salary of BDT 1 lack per month. The cricket apex body also chalked out a plan to start a conditioning camp in England for two months.
However, the Under-19 players are still getting their monthly salary but stay at home as the cricketing activities remained stopped since mid -March following the outbreak of COVID-19.
“We want to do some quality things with those boys so that they can become the next big thing of Bangladesh,” said Game Development Committee chairman Khaled Mahmud Sujon after a meeting on Wednesday.
“We have decided to set up a condition camp in England in June but due to the coronavirus it was not possible. May be we can arrange it in September-October with England resuming the cricketing activities but in that period we won’t get our desirable condition. So we had to put it on hold. But we definitely arrange the camp in next year,” he added.
Mahmud, also the former skipper of Bangladesh and a BCB director said, the players will also get the opportunity to play some matches in England.
“Our main focus would be to train where we will invite specialist coaches. But at the same time, we will play some matches there also. We think if the players train in England at the start of English season, they will be hugely benefited,” he remarked.
“In our country, we can’t do anything in off season because of rain. But if we can arrange practice and matches for the players in abroad in our off season, they will be highly skilled and can make them prepared for the future challenge.”
Mahmud said that they have already prepared a budget for making those Under-19 players a world class one.
“We have a long term plan with them and for that a budget was also ready. This year has been wasted due to the COVID-19 but still we have the next year in hand. We’ll try to amend the loss of the year by playing more matches,” he concluded.
BSS/SMP/AU/17:05 Hrs