The BCB’s school cricket matches will be shortened from 50-over contests to 20-over games owing to the heatwave in Bangladesh. Temperatures have consistently been above 40 degree celsius for most of April and meteorologists are calling it the longest heatwave in the country’s history.
“In consideration of the ongoing heatwave that has impacted the country, the age-group tournament committee of BCB has decided that starting from today (April 29), all remaining divisional round matches of the Prime Bank National School Cricket tournament will be played in Twenty20 format,” the BCB said in a statement.
According to BCB’s game development manager AEM Kawsar, 64 district teams are taking part in the competition being held at 14 venues across Bangladesh.
“We have instructed all match officials to complete the matches by 12.30 pm,” Kawsar told ESPNcricinfo. “We have even advised them to start the matches at 8.30 am if the teams agree. The usual start time is 9.00am. There will also be a drinks break every 40 minutes. We are providing enough ice, lemon juice and of course water. In some places where possible, we are providing ice-bath facilities. One good thing is that every venue has proper cooling facilities in the dressing rooms.”
There will be a total of 57 matches, with the initial rounds being knockouts followed by a group stage for the qualifiers before the semi-finals and final. It is the BCB’s biggest cricket competition and one that began in the early 1980s.
The Dhaka Premier League, however, continues in this oppressive heat. The one-day tournament’s Super League phase is ongoing, with the remaining matches likely to end in early May. These are the only domestic tournaments currently being played, mainly due to Ramadan falling during the cricket season in March.
The country’s education ministry had ordered schools, colleges and universities to remain closed from April 21 to 25. The closure continues till May 2. The temperature went up to 45 degrees celsius in parts of the country including the capital Dhaka. There have been more than 30 heat-related deaths so far and hundreds have been hospitalised.