BCB Criticizes Mirpur Pitch, Wants Improvement for Asia Cup

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has expressed dissatisfaction with the pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNS) in Mirpur, saying it is not satisfactory and needs improvement.

BCB's cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin said the board never instructed the grounds committee to prepare a low and slow wicket, but the pitch has consistently failed to meet expectations. He suggested that the entire soil base may need to be removed or the preparation process changed to produce a better wicket.

The criticism comes after Bangladesh's recent T20I series against Pakistan, where the hosts won 2-1, but the win was largely attributed to the slow and low pitch. The BCB president, Aminul Islam, also criticized the pitch, saying batters find it hard to see the ball due to the black soil used in its preparation.

Nazmul also mentioned that the board is closely observing the ongoing T20I series between the A team and the High Performance (HP) Unit in Chattogram, with the upcoming Asia Cup in mind. He hopes that some players from the A team will get a chance to replace those currently in the national team and make the national team stronger.

Asia Cup Preparations

Bangladesh is placed alongside Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan in Group B of the Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in the UAE from September 9. Nazmul said the board is focusing on improving the team's performance and is considering players from the A team who can replace those currently in the national team.

The BCB is keen to see exceptional performances from the A team players, which will grab the attention of the selectors and give them a chance to represent the national team in the Asia Cup.