|| CF Correspondent ||

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan said on Tuesday that their major challenge lies in developing a Under-19 Women’s team for the upcoming ICC World Cup for the age-level cricketers, scheduled to be held in Bangladesh in 2021.

The International Cricket Council on September 15 announced that the global governing body of cricket approved the establishment of an U19 Women’s T20 World Cup with the first edition to be played in Bangladesh in 2021 and every two years after that as ICC want to build a long-term sustainable foundation for women’s cricket and that is about more than just prize money.

For ICC it is about building a product that fans want to watch, that kids want to take up, that sponsors and broadcasters want to be part of and creating a Women’s U19 event also improves the pathway available to young cricketers and ensures they have the same opportunities as their male counterparts.

Nazmul said that initially it was slated to be eight-team affair but ICC increased the number to 10 on the insistence of BCB and now their major goal is build and Under- 19 Women’s team who can take part in the global event at their own backyard.

‘’Another major issue was, they made it for eight-team World Cup with their previous decisions. Women’s under-19 World Cup is going to happen for the first time in 2021. This is going to happen with eight teams. Because Bangladesh and other… we don’t have a (under-19) team. We have made for 10 teams where Bangladesh will also play. And most possibly this is going to happen in Bangladesh in 2021. This is significant for us. This creates a huge opportunity but at the same time it is also tough. Because we don’t even have an under-19 Women’s team. This will really be tough to create a team and prepare them within a year. But still we will try to arrange a very good team,’’ Nazmul told reporters at the Airport upon his arrival from the ICC meeting..