DHAKA, July 2, 2020 (BSS)-The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is not wary of the Women’s Under-19 team whose practice session was halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which also casts a doubt over the maiden Women’s Under-19 World, hosted by Bangladesh in next year.
Bangladesh basically prepared the country’s first Under-19 Women’s team, keeping the World Cup in mind. At the same time, they are eying to create a pipeline through which cricketers will be prepared for the national team.
Last year, when BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon, revealed that Bangladesh would host the first ever Women’s Under-19 World Cup, the BCB devised a plan to how they would operate the Under-19 team.
BCB’s Women’s Wing chairman Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel said they have already selected 30 players, who came from aged level cricket, to form the Under-19 team.
“They came from different aged level team and different districts. After much scrutiny, the coaches selected those girls, who they felt could thrive in the International cricket,” Nadel told the BSS.
“The preparation was just about to start, only to be halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The girls are now instructed to do gym and fitness session at their home and in this regard, a guideline was given.”
Nadel said the spread of the deadly virus also Women’s Under-19 World Cup uncertain in scheduled time.
“The ICC is yet to talk about that and we are not also talking about it. I don’t think it will be held in scheduled time. It’s very tough if the situation doesn’t improve dramatically,” he said.
But he doesn’t believe the uncertainty over the World Cup will make any adverse impact of forming the Bangladesh Women’s Under-19 team.
“We needed an Under-19 team for Women’s team to bolster our pipeline. You may say that the World Cup just hastened the process,” Nadel remarked.
“For a long time, we are trying to be a force in the Women’s cricket also for which several plans are in the place. Gradually our female team showed their capability of fighting with fire against the top guns. So we felt, if we could form an Under-19 team, it will help us more.”
The Under-19 team will start practice after the Covid-19 time, even though the World Cup is postponed, said Nadel.
“Regardless of what happened, they will start practice after the situation becomes normal,” Nadel said.
“We have already prepared a guideline of their practice session. They will be given world class facility so that they can make them well prepared,” he concluded.