70 captains take centre stage

Seventy captains took centre stage at the Sher-e-Bangla National cricket stadium on Saturday as the Third Division qualifying tournament began a new chapter, with Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz urging the budding cricketers to seize their opportunity.

The T20 tournament gets underway on Sunday, with a record 70 Dhaka clubs competing after the entry fee was slashed from Tk5 lakh to Tk1 lakh.

Once a much-anticipated feature of Dhaka’s neighbourhood cricket, the qualifiers had lost their appeal after the steep rise in entry fees. Between 2014-15 and 2023-24, participation fell so sharply that on one occasion the champions and runners-up were decided by a toss after only two teams entered.

The reduced fee revived interest last season, when 60 teams took part. This year, the number has climbed to a record 70.

The tournament was formally inaugurated with a trophy-unveiling ceremony, bringing all 70 captains together on the same stage.

BCB president Tamim Iqbal met the captains and wished them well, while Miraz, fresh from his Caribbean Premier League stint, recalled his own experience in the qualifiers.

“I played in the Third Division qualifiers for CCS in 2009 when I was a Bangladesh Under-19 cricketer. I still remember those days,” Miraz told reporters.

The national all-rounder urged the participants to make the most of the platform, which he believes can produce Bangladesh’s future cricketers.

“Players will come from different parts of the country, share rooms, talk on and off the field and exchange experiences. I hope many cricketers will emerge from here,” the 28-year-old said.

“One day, you will lead Bangladesh. If you perform well, Bangladesh will benefit.”

Several captains also quizzed Miraz during the ceremony, with the all-rounder sharing experiences from the early stages of his career.

The champions and runners-up will earn promotion to the Third Division Cricket League. The Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM) has also set a maximum age limit of 25 for this year’s competition.

CCDM chairman Moyeen Uddin Chowdhury promised impartial umpiring and a level playing field, ruling out any outside influence.

“There will be no opportunity for anyone to use influence here, no matter how powerful they are. We will not allow it, Inshallah. The matches will be played 100 per cent fairly,” he said.

Following a dance performance to Jole Otho Bangladesh, Moyeen officially opened the tournament by unveiling the trophy and releasing balloons.

CCDM vice-chairman Mehtab Uddin Anwar Ahmed, BCB directors Minhajul Abedin Nannu, Masuduzzaman and Shanian Taneem, Asif Rabbani and chief selector Habibul Bashar Suman were also present.