BCB’s long-overdue shift in NOC stance

By general consensus, the Lord's in London is regarded as the Mecca of cricket, but in terms of significance, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) -- which hosted the first-ever Test -- isn't too far behind.

On Thursday, the MCG hosted a league-phase match of the Big Bash League (BBL) between Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars, and among the 22 cricketers on display was Bangladesh's very own Rishad Hossain.

Rishad, playing for Adelaide, claimed 2-33 in three overs as his side lost the game by eight wickets.

Despite the defeat, it was a memorable match for the leg-spinner as he became only the second Bangladeshi after Shakib Al Hasan to play a T20 at the venue. Shakib has played two T20s there, but like Rishad, his appearances also came in the BBL, as Bangladesh are yet to play a T20I at the MCG.

Rishad could have had this experience last year, when he was roped in by the same side for the BBL. But at that time, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) blocked his path by denying him a No Objection Certificate (NOC), as it clashed with the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

What happened with Rishad was far from an isolated incident, as for years the BCB displayed a similar reluctance when issuing NOCs for foreign leagues.

The board has recalled players from overseas leagues for insignificant series against weak sides, delayed NOC decisions until the last moment – creating unnecessary drama – and even offered financial compensation after stopping them from featuring in other leagues.

The BCB's NOC stance has denied many Bangladeshi players opportunities, arguably stagnating their development. But now, the board is seemingly on the path of course correction.

Granting Rishad full NOC for the BBL, even though it would make him entirely unavailable for the upcoming BPL, was a step in the right direction.

The board also allowed Taskin Ahmed to take part in the Abu Dhabi T10 League in November for the Northern Warriors, even though the Tigers were playing a home series against Ireland at that time.

On Thursday, the board cleared up all doubts about Mustafizur Rahman's NOC situation for next year's Indian Premier League (IPL), declaring that the pacer, who was bought for a whopping INR 9.2 crore by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), will be available for all but eight days of the season, which will run from March 26 to May 31.

"He [Mustafizur] will return for eight days to play the ODI series," BCB Cricket Operations chief Nazmul Abedeen Fahim said, explaining the decision was taken with Bangladesh's 2027 ODI World Cup qualification in mind.

"We are not willing to make any compromise on our qualification for the World Cup. Since we are not in a comfortable position, this decision was taken," he added.

Mustafizur and Taskin are currently in the UAE, taking part in ILT20 for Dubai Capitals and Sharjah Warriorz respectively with partial NOCs, which will end on 24 December, two days before the start of the new BPL season.

Batter Saif Hassan too was given a partial NOC for the Abu Dhabi T10 League, as he returned for the Ireland T20Is, Bangladesh's last T20Is before the ICC T20 World Cup.

This shows that while the board is now allowing players more opportunities overseas, the national team's requirements still come first. Striking this balance will be difficult going forward, but the board's change of mindset is a positive sign, as it will allow Rishad and others to develop and showcase Bangladesh's cricketing talents on a bigger stage.