‘Need more Test venues’

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan spoke about the disappointing lack of Test venues in Bangladesh while talking to reporters today.

Currently there is only one venue in Dhaka while Chattogram and Sylhet have one venue each that are fit for Test matches. Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium hosts Test matches but the MA Aziz Stadium in Chattogram last hosted a Test match in 2005.

Only two Tests were played in Fatullah's Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium and although the ground has been hosting Dhaka Premier League (DPL) matches, but it is not likely that it will host Test matches any time soon. Like the one in Fatullah, Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna also hosted its last Test in 2015. The BCB president spoke about the need for more grounds.

"Let's forget countries like England, Australia India and England. If you go to Sri Lanka's Colombo, there are eight stadiums there. Among them you can play Test in three venues. At Dhaka there are no cricket grounds that fit the criteria apart from the one in Mirpur… so we need more venues," the president reiterated.

The BCB president was hopeful about Bangladesh's World Cup chances. Apart from contributions of Tamim [Iqbal], Shakib [Al Hasan], Mushfiqur [Rahim], [Mahmudullah] Riyad we don't score the runs. But in the tough conditions that were present in New Zealand, the four [sans Shakib] scored just 22. We still crossed 230. So when our main players will score runs what will happen?" Nazmul asked.

"I have faith in our players. They have the ability and we are not thinking about winning or losing. I believe we will give everyone a fight," he concluded.