Asif Akbar replaces Ishtiaque Sadeque as chairman of game development committee

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Asif Akbar on Tuesday officially took charge as the new game development committee chairman, replacing Ishtiaque Sadeque.

The move came during the last board meeting although Ishtiaque's resignation is yet to be approved. 

Asif confirmed the development to Daily Sun, stating that there is a lot of scope to work in the game development committee and that he is looking forward to the challenge. 

The 53-year old has identified tournament organisation as his biggest and most immediate challenge.

Asif said his responsibilities now span both the age-level and game development committees, allowing him to work across multiple layers of Bangladesh cricket.

“I’m still involved at the age-level, so I have both responsibilities now,” Asif said.

The BCB director stressed that the board is already operating from a position of strength, with a packed domestic and developmental calendar lined up over the coming months.

“The biggest challenge is organising tournaments,” he said. “But we are in a good position now.”

According to Asif, multiple initiatives are already underway, including age-group tournaments, cricket academies, the University Cup, and a dedicated madrasa cricket programme. School cricket is set to resume from next month under the Prime Bank School Cricket structure, while national competitions will follow soon after.

He confirmed that four additional leagues are scheduled to begin in succession, ensuring year-round competitive cricket.

Women’s cricket will also receive a major boost, with the inaugural Women’s Bangladesh Premier League set to begin as planned.

Asif added that the development pathway will extend further with the launch of the Under-23 tournament, strengthening the bridge between youth and professional cricket.

“We’re on top of things right now, and we intend to stay there,” the newly appointed game development chairman concluded with confidence.