NCL fixtures ‘bodily shifted’ as Bogura switch falls flat

The ongoing National Cricket League Twenty20 (NCL T20) tournament has found no respite from rain, as both fixtures on Monday were abandoned, leading to concerns over the future of the upcoming matches.

Bangladesh experiences heavy rain at this time of year, with the monsoon season typically lasting from May until the end of September. Yesterday's opening fixtures were hampered, with one match abandoned while only a five-over affair was possible in the other.

The tournament committee shifted the Bogura fixtures -- scheduled for 15 and 16 September -- to Rajshahi, but things did not improve, as both Barishal-Dhaka and Sylhet-Rangpur matches were abandoned due to heavy rain.

There had already been concerns over the drainage systems in both Bogura and Rajshahi, and the problems have been felt more acutely this time. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials had earlier opined that the tournament should be pushed back by a few weeks.

With the situation worsening, Tuesday's fixtures in Rajshahi have now been postponed, a BCB tournament committee official confirmed. "The fixtures will be bodily shifted," the official informed.

Players, meanwhile, have gone to ground and returned to their hotels for two days running as the NCL's frustrating opening week continues.