Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Tamim Iqbal-File photo

DHAKA, Aug 20, 2026 (BSS) - Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Tamim Iqbal insisted that the goal of the newly inducted Game Development (GD) Trophy is to identify talented cricketers by giving them the opportunity to compete against stronger and more experienced opponents.

The 50-over tournament, featuring Bangladesh Under-23, Under-19 and Under-17 teams, will begin on August 28 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

Speaking at a press conference in Mirpur today, Tamim said, "The main objective of the tournament is to find and identify talent."

Each of the three teams will play the other two teams twice in the league phase, with the top two sides advancing to the final on September 9.

A win will earn two points, while one point will be awarded for a no result.

The tournament will kick start with the Under-19s taking on the Under-17s on August 28 at 9:30am. The Under-23s will face the Under-19s on August 30, followed by the Under-17s against the Under-23s on September 1.

The second cycle of matches will see the Under-19s play the Under-17s on September 3, the Under-23s face the Under-19s on September 5 and the Under-17s meet the Under-23s on September 7.

Tamim gave particular emphasis on providing Under-17 players with opportunities to test themselves against older opponents, saying such exposure could help the selectors determine whether a youngster possesses the ability to progress to the next level.

"If an Under-17 player takes three wickets or scores 50 against an Under-23 side, his confidence will increase significantly. It will also be a very good platform for us to identify whether he is ready for the next level," he said.

Tamim admitted that playing against Under-23 opposition could prove difficult for the youngest players, but said the challenge itself was important for talent identification.

"They may be bowled out for a very low score, or they may play very well. But if we do not give them this challenge at this age, there is no way for the cricket board or selectors to understand whether there is a special player among them," he said.
The BCB president said young cricketers are often confined to age-group camps and competitions against players of a similar level, limiting opportunities to assess their potential against stronger opposition.

"This is not just for this season. I have requested the Game Development chairman to make it part of the annual calendar. Similarly, we will try to introduce something like this in women's cricket as well," Tamim said.

He added that creating a competitive environment was more important than prize money, although awards and prize money would be provided to appreciate the players' performances.

"Money is not very important to us. Creating the competition is more important," he said.