What it means for Mymensingh to have its own first-class team

The BCB's decision to include Mymensingh as a first-class team is long-awaited reward for a region where cricket has thrived for more than a century. It was regarded as the cradle of the game in undivided Bengal, as cricket clubs were formed there as far back as in 1898. First-class recognition brings renewed hope to Mymensingh, which has produced a large number of international cricketers in the last four decades.

Mahmudullah, the former Bangladesh Test and T20I captain, is the biggest name to come out of the region. He spent his formative years in Mymensingh, before playing age-group and league cricket in Dhaka. Mahmudullah, whose 430 international matches across formats is currently the third-highest for Bangladesh, often returns to Mymensingh, where he has his ancestral home.

The region was rich in cricketing heritage much before Mahmudullah was born. Mymensingh Mohammedan Club (1898) and Pandit Para Club (1910) are some of the oldest clubs from undivided Bengal. Zamindars (landowners) would patronise these clubs, with healthy participation among the general population. After Bangladesh's independence, Mymensingh's left-arm spinner Ramchand Goala became a popular name in the Dhaka league, churning out overs even into his early 50s.

Harunur Rashid, the feisty opener, was the first from Mymensingh to make his ODI debut for Bangladesh, in 1988. Pace bowler Saiful Islam and allrounder Sanuar Hossain, who were in Bangladesh's 1997 ICC Trophy-winning side, were among the bigger names who played cricket in Mymensingh in the 1980s and 1990s. More recently, the region has produced the batter Mosaddek Hossain.

It was curious that the BCB held back first-class status from Mymensingh despite this rich tradition. The government had made Mymensingh Bangladesh's eighth administrative division in 2015. Rangpur began playing the National Cricket League (NCL), Bangladesh's domestic first-class competition, from the 2011-12 season, less than two years after the government made it the country's seventh division.

Mymensingh's sports organisers requested the BCB for a team on numerous occasions in the last ten years, but to no avail. Earlier this year, Md Mokhtar Ahmed, Mymensingh's divisional commissioner, the highest-ranking government official in the region, wrote a letter to the BCB in this regard. The decision from the BCB came on August 9 during a board meeting in Dhaka. Akram Khan, the BCB's tournament committee chairman, welcomed Mymensingh into the first-class fold.

"They really deserve it," Akram told ESPNcricinfo. "Firstly, they are a division for ten years. So if Rajshahi, Chittagong and Barisal can play NCL, why can't Mymensingh? They also have cricketing heritage. They have a sporting culture that goes back to many, many years. I played with [the former India player] Raman Lamba in Mymensingh in the 1990s. They always had good cricketers, including, Belayet Hossain and Goala, who played in Mymensingh the 1970s. They continued to produce plenty of cricketers for Bangladesh too."

Akram said Mymensingh has a strong base of homegrown players already.

"I think they will be able to form a good first-class team. Look, the selectors have often sent players to Barisal as Barisal have struggled to make their [own] first-class team. I am sure that Mymensingh or any other first-class team will get that help [as well]. In any case, Dhaka Division and Dhaka Metropolis used to split players from the Dhaka region. So I am sure the same arrangement [for splitting players] would be made for Dhaka Division and Mymensingh."

Mymensingh native Sanuar, who played nine Tests and 27 ODIs, was delighted with the BCB's decision. Sanuar is a senior figure in Mymensingh cricket, organising T20 tournaments in the region whenever he finds time away from his busy schedule as a flight steward.

"It is a huge achievement for Mymensingh," Sanuar said. "It was long overdue, given the region's cricketing heritage and also if you consider that we have been a division for almost ten years."

Sanuar felt first-class status would help Mymensingh improve its facilities. Mymensingh does have a stadium, but cricket is mainly played at the historic Circuit House ground, which is surrounded by all the club houses. The Brahmaputra river is quite close to the ground, making it a local attraction.

"I think after an inspection last year, they found out that facilities were not up to the mark," Sanuar said. "We have two very good facilities in Mymensingh that can be developed. Now, with the first-class team, we will have more impetus to develop quickly."

Sanuar was also confident Mymensingh could form a good first-class team with mostly homegrown players, and hoped Mahmudullah could turn out for them.

"We have a number of established cricketers from Mymensingh. It is our advantage," Sanuar said. "Many are already playing for Dhaka Division or Dhaka Metropolis. I want Riyad [Mahmudullah] to play at least the first season for Mymensigh. He has been our biggest source of pride over the years. I am sure he would love to play for his home team. Mymensingh will become more organised with Riyad in the team."

Mymensingh can pick players from the Jamalpur, Mymensingh, Netrokona and Sherpur districts, with the BCB allowing players not belonging to that particular region to play in the NCL.

To include Mymensingh, the BCB has decided to discontinue the Dhaka Metropolis team to ensure there remained an even number of teams in the NCL. Dhaka Metropolis' last tournament will be the NCL T20s next month. The team started participating in the NCL from 2011-12, when Rangpur became a first-class team - that decision too was made to ensure an even number of participating teams.

In theory, players born and based in Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital city, would be playing for Metropolis, while the Dhaka Division team would be made up of players from Dhaka's 16 other districts. This was the case for much of Dhaka Metropolis' time in the first-class scene, but the selectors found it increasingly hard to pick a team with just players from the capital.

For all its size and might, Dhaka hasn't produced too many top cricketers in recent decades. Taskin Ahmed and Saif Hassan are the only cricketers of note to emerge from the city in the last 15 years. The rest have mostly come from the outskirts or other districts. Dhaka Metropolis have won and lost 23 matches each out of 87 matches in the NCL. They have never been champions of the NCL.

Meanwhile, Mymensingh, who will replace Dhaka Metropolis, are quietly confident they can make a fist of their long-awaited opportunity. The prolonged monsoon has kept cricket away, but once the weather clears, expect the Circuit House ground to be packed with hopefuls. Cricket has a long tradition here, and this latest chapter could be the most exciting one yet.