Bangladesh to receive bulk of ICC Development Fund (18 November 1998)

18 November 1998

Bangladesh to receive bulk of ICC Development Fund

Our Sports Reporter

An international cricket tournament, in lieu of the delayed eighth Asia Cup, is likely to be held in March at the Bangabandhu Natio-nal Stadium. But nothing has been finalised yet.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Saber Hossain Chowdhury revealed this while talking to a group of journalists at his BCB office last night. He was speaking after a more than two-hour long session with the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolitan (CCDM).

The eighth Asia Cup was scheduled to be held from March 20. But Saber hinted that the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) might change the schedule at its next meeting in Colombo early next month as India would be unavailable for the biennial meet in March.

"The tournament will be a part of our preparation for the World Cup," said Saber, adding that the Asia Cup might be shifted to November.

"We will use the Bangabandhu National Stadium till April as declared earlier by the NSC. Although we are already behind schedule and that is, of course, our failure, we are planning to announce the annual domestic cricket calendar within the next couple of days," said Saber.

Saber, who is also a member of the ICC executive committee, further disclosed that Bang-ladesh is likely to receive the bulk of the ICC Development Fund.

"We had a meeting last week in Singapore regarding the disposal of the fund generated from the recently concluded Wills International Cup. And I'm hopeful that Bangladesh is going to get the biggest slice of the cake," said Saber. But he did not elaborate.

Besides, Saber also divulged that BCB is trying to convince Test teams to make stop-overs in Bangladesh ahead or after their planned visit to India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka.

"The successful hosting of the Wills International Cup was lauded by all and sundry. Specially the cricketers who played here were very happy with the facilities. So I don't thing any country will oppose the idea when we propose this at the ICC executive meeting," said Saber. The next ICC meeting will be held in Christchurch, New Zealand from January 10 to 12.

Regarding his meeting with the CCDM last night, Saber said that that he had a successful session with the local club representatives.

"They have asked for monitory assistance from the board for their respective development programme and have requested the board not to make any change in the local calendar," concluded Saber.

Source :: The Bangladesh Daily Star (https://www.dailystarnews.com)