Hello BCB!

The much hyped BPL (Bangladesh Premiere League) seems to have been overshadowed by the tour to Pakistan and the participation of the Pakistani players in the BPL. As the BCB denied to tour Pakistan this year again, the PCB chief has taken a stern stance regarding the participation of the Pakistani stars in the glamourous show. In turn, PCB has planned to launch their own T20 league in the name of PSL (Pakistan Super League).

With a number of big names declining to participate in BPL as it collides with their respective international schedules, the lack of star players from the top cricket playing nations in the BPL has left it with the risk of loosing shine and attraction. By the way, the BCB is again all set to send an inspection team to Pakistan to inspect its security. You know what, the security will again come up with a satisfactory result. Surely, they won’t be aware of the recent bomb attack in Quetta and regarding which Imran Khan said that the situation has deteriorated to an extent that even personnel of law enforcement agencies and media men were not safe.

With the satisfactory security results there will be another tour schedule and Pakistani players will be given a green flag to take part in BPL. But again, whether to tour or not to tour debate will start. The ugly fights between the Pakistani and Bangladeshi fans in Facebook pages will reach it’s maximum heights.

The BCB will be in the soup. I feel sorry for the present BCB chief. But thankfully, he has been able to realize who is the main culprit behind all these chaos and confusions. No matter how many times Mr. Mustafa Kamal will deny about the written commitment to Pakistan about the tour, not even a single person will believe him.  Only to fulfill his dream of becoming the ICC’s vice-president, Kamal has played with the emotions of the fans of both the countries.  

But there is a commitment and that has to be fulfilled.  Let the security team inspect the situation and pass an opinion not with the motto of participation of the Pakistani players in BPL, but keeping the security of our boys in mind. We wish to help Pakistan. We have not forgotten the help Pakistanis did for our cricket. But we care for our boys’ security. Until and unless there’s a stability in Pakistan the tour must not commence. A Pakistani must ask themselves whether it will be fair enough to tour their country amid such a critical condition.

I am not enjoying this tussle, this deteriorated relationship between the two countries. I wish a healthier relationship between all the subcontinental countries. Both the country’s fans must judge the reality and then decide whether to fight or not.

    

But more than this Pakistan tour drama and BPL, my interests are in some other issues. The BCB is so much busy with the Pakistan tour and BPL that they have forgotten that our boys are still without a national coach. With the Sri Lankan tour knocking at the doors, the BCB must take this matter with a greater importance. At present the bowling coach is performing as the main coach’s role and if the BCB thinks then he’s able enough to coach our boys the without a delay they must appoint him as our national coach through proper contracts. And if not, then, appoint a coach as soon as possible. People like John Wright or Ian Pont are quite eligible to be the Tigers’ coach. 

  

Bangladesh will play six Test matches this year. It’s a great oppourtunity for the boys in proving themselves as a well-equipped unit in the 5-day format. The time has come to shut the critic’s mouth through performance. Last year’s performance tells us how well the Tigers have come to terms with the 50-over format. And this year the Tigers must prove their abilities through patience and composure in the 5-day format too.

In 2012, one of BCB’s finest approaches has been the introduction of the franchise-backed first class cricket league – the BCL (Bangladesh Cricket League) where each game spans around 4 days with the final to be played in 5 days. Such sort of initiatives help in developing the temperament for the longer-versions and also helps to chalk out talents suitable for Test cricket. And we discovered Marshal Ayub and Saqlain Sajib at their sublime best through the BCL.

Over the years, Ayub and Saqlain have been the name of consistency and time and again  they have proved their worths to claim a place in the Test side. With plenty of left-arm spinners around, Saqlain’s selection might just be tough but Marshall Ayub’s selection is a must as our batting order requires the composure and appetite-for-runs of Marshall Ayub. I just hope that good sense prevail amongst the selectors and they select the Test teams by not wearing the Chittagong-sunglasses!

Thank You

Faisal Caesar