"Play BPL, DPL And International": Mehidy Miraz Points Out BCB's Failure

Soumyajit Dutta

Mehidy Hasan Miraz [Source: @cricketcomau/X]Mehidy Hasan Miraz [Source: @cricketcomau/X]

Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan has urged the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to strike a balance between domestic tournaments and international fixtures, highlighting concerns over inadequate red-ball preparation ahead of the Zimbabwe Test series. 

The Tigers’ recent Champions Trophy struggles, attributed to limited build-up due to the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), have resurfaced as players compete in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) instead of tuning up for Tests.

Mehidy On Scheduling Conflicts

With the two-Test series against Zimbabwe starting April 19, Bangladesh’s cricketers face a tight turnaround. Key players from top DPL clubs Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting Club will join the national camp only on April 12 after their league clash, leaving just six days of red-ball practice.

Acknowledging the calendar crunch, Mehidy Hasan urged the BCB to align domestic formats with upcoming internationals.

"The schedule (international and domestic) is done before and you cannot change the calendar all of a sudden... You have to adjust and play BPL, DPL and international cricket. Later, board can think over keeping a balance... we will play this tournament (a tournament similar to the format national team will be playing)," Mehidy stated as quoted by Cricbuzz.

Mehidy On The Quick Shift of Format

Mehidy however, downplayed concerns about shifting from white-ball to red-ball cricket ahead of the Test series.

"Though this is one-day tournament, it is quite similar to Test... We will get 10 days before the Test and we hope to prepare during this time. We will possibly have a two-day practice game at Sylhet... or match scenario practice." 

However, with most players arriving on April 12, actual prep time shrinks to six days. Abahani and Mohammedan Sporting Club successfully lobbied the BCB to release players only after their April 12 DPL fixture. 

This leaves the Test squad with minimal red-ball drills, risking a repeat of the Champions Trophy’s underprepared entry.

Mehidy defended wicketkeeper Mahidul Islam, who averaged 8.5 in his debut Test vs South Africa. "Doing badly in one match does not imply he is a bad cricketer... If he gets opportunity, I am sure he will do well." Notably, Mahidul replaces Litton Das, who opted for the Pakistan Super League over the Zimbabwe Tests.