BCB planning of forming Under-19 squad disrupted
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|| CF Correspondent ||
Defending Under-19 champions Bangladesh is finding it hard to form their next squad for the global tournament due to coronavirus pandemic as it has disrupted their plan of action, said Bangladesh Cricket Board official on Thursday.
At the starting of this year, for the first time in the cricket world, Bangladesh U-19 team was recognized as a world champion after defeating India in a heavy tensed final.
Bangladesh won the dream trophy through a team led by Akbar Ali and after two years when the next Under-19 World Cup will begin again in West Indies junior Tigers will feature to retain the championship.
The BCB's Game Development Division forms the U-19 team through various age-based competitions and according to BCB's Game Development officials they are at the very end of completing the process of forming a new U-19 team for the next global age-level event hosted by ICC but that process could not end due to the coronavirus, as BCB suspended all cricket activities in the country on 19 March.
BCB has selected talent from the YCL (Youth Cricket League) for the past few years after assessing the talent of the cricketers who feature in both longer version and one-day version in this competition.
This year though the longer version has been completed before the arrival of coronavirus but that was the not the case as before the matches of one-day version and it was a huge blow for them.
BCB game development manager AEM Kawsar said about the formation of a new youth team that they had finished the foud-day matches but the longer version is still due.
"We have finished the four-day games of the YCL (Youth Cricket League). Could not start the one-day version. One-day version was scheduled from April 1-15. It was to be held in Sylhet. We couldn't do it because of the corona," said BCB game development manager AEM Kawser.
Kawser Ahmed also said that game development department always have plans for the youth team but the implementation of the planned schedule is now difficult but added that game development department is eyeing to start matches as soon as the situation gets better.
“Now I can't say when it can be done. Now everything depends on the situation. Whenever we have the opportunity, we will be allowed to return to the field, that very moment we will resume our activities," said Kawser adding that after the one-day version, the primary team will be formed and at least 30 cricketers will be called to the camp.
“There are tours scheduled in October. We had a program with Pakistan. We had a plan to get there. They also have plan to tour here. Now everything is uncertain. Depending on the situation, everything will be fixed. Maybe new programs have to be done," he said
"Now whoever we play against they will count us as world champions. Maybe we couldn't do according to the plan. There are some problem arrived. There is nothing to do here. We will try to overcome the deficit," concluded Kawser.
