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BCB Considers Reintroducing Foreign Players In NCL To Boost Local Talent

Rajgeeta Yadav

Bangladesh Cricket [Source: BCB and @SJM_007/X.com] Bangladesh Cricket [Source: BCB and @SJM_007/X.com]

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is thinking about letting foreign players take part in the National Cricket League (NCL) once again. The NCL is Bangladesh’s main first-class domestic tournament.

Last year, the NCL only allowed local players. This was done to help them improve their game ahead of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The tournament was held at two venues in Sylhet.

However, reports from Cricbuzz say that the BCB used to allow foreign players in the NCL before, and this had a positive impact on the development of local cricketers, especially in long-format cricket.

What BCB Officials Are Saying

One BCB official, who is closely involved in the league's planning, said:

"We are planning to get approval from the board that will allow NCL team to include foreign players in their squad like we had in the past which is not the case for quite some time." 

He also explained that the pitches used in the NCL now have more grass, which helps fast bowlers. If a team has a strong foreign fast bowler, it would challenge the local batters and help them sharpen their skills.

Big Challenges In Bringing Foreign Players

Even though the idea sounds promising, there are some challenges. The biggest issue is the availability of foreign players, as many countries have their own domestic tournaments during the same time. For example, India’s Ranji Trophy and Pakistan’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy are held around 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," he said.

Also, Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), a 50-over franchise tournament, is expected to be held from December 4 to 10. After the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), the BCL four-day format will begin in February.

In the last NCL season, eight teams, including seven divisional teams and Dhaka Metro, took part. Rangpur emerged as champions after beating Dhaka Metro in the final.

The upcoming NCL season is scheduled from September 14 to October 4, across three venues this year. If the BCB approves the new idea, this could be the first time in years that foreign players return to Bangladesh’s first-class cricket scene.