The use of the pink ball in Test cricket — a feature of day-night matches — has been adopted in several countries over the past few years, though not universally. In March, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was considering hosting its first-ever day-night Test with a pink ball. Initially, there were also plans to use the pink ball in the upcoming season of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL).
However, BCB has since backed away from that plan. Now, even the timely start of the BCL is in doubt. The tournament was originally scheduled to begin in May, but due to the concurrent visits of New Zealand A and South Africa Emerging teams, it was postponed.
As per the latest schedule, the BCL is now set to start on June 15. But concerns have emerged again — this time due to the extreme heatwave sweeping across the country. BCB officials are closely monitoring the health and well-being of the players amid these conditions. Despite the uncertainty, Akram Khan, chairman of BCB’s tournament committee, has assured that the tournament will not be cancelled outright, though delays are likely.
Speaking on the matter, Akram Khan said:
“Given the current weather, it’s extremely hot — we are definitely concerned. It was originally planned for May, but had to be pushed back due to the ongoing series. Now we are reassessing, because such heat poses serious risks to the players. The tournament may be postponed again, but it will not be cancelled.”
This concern is not without precedent. Earlier this year, several local cricketers suffered due to severe heat during domestic matches. Star batter Tamim Iqbal suffered a heart attack during a Dhaka Premier League (DPL) game, and umpire Gazi Sohel collapsed on the field due to heatstroke — incidents that sent shockwaves through the country’s cricketing community.
The BCB now finds itself in a tough position: balancing the calendar with player safety in an increasingly challenging climate.
