BCB to introduce new age-group U-23 tournament

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided to start a new age-level tournament called Rising Stars U-23 Cricket Tournament, BCB officials informed after a board meeting on Wednesday. The board meeting which started at 11 am, went on till evening before a media brief took place at 7:30 pm.

"We have decided to start a a Rising Stars U-23 tournament which will be like BCL but for U-23 players. After U-19 age-group, there was no age-specific tournament but this time it will happen. It will happen in February and initially it will take place in two stadiums of Chattogram in double-league system with the final in Dhaka," BCB media committee chairman Amzad Hussain informed in the press conference.

The BCB also informed that they are mobilising district leagues. "This year already in 25-26 season, we had leagues in 11 districts. Our target is to start leagues in 40 districts," Amzad said.

Asked whether the leagues in Chattogram were under discussion, given that players from the region have extensively complained to The Daily Star about leagues not being run, Amzad however informed that they have 'received no such complaints.'

The BCB is also planning a new programme titled '100 wickets in 2026' under which they are planning to increase the number of wickets in available venues. "We want to build additional wickets. We have seen that many grounds are in very bad shape. There is Fatuallah's inner and outer grounds and although the Purbachal ground is under the cricket board, no development took place. So regarding these grounds and others we have plans and very shortly within this season, we want to build hundred wickets," grounds committee chairman Khaled Mashud Pilot said.

The board has also decided to increase the subsidy of women cricketers in domestic leagues such as Premier Division and First Division leagues. "We have increased the subsidy for the coming season with Premier Division teams receiving Taka 6 lakh 75 thousand while First Division teams will receive Taka 4.5 lakh. In an average, there is 7-8 percent increase compared to last season," Amzad told the media.