Because of the heatwave in Bangladesh, the BCB’s school cricket matches will now be 20 overs instead of 50 overs. For the majority of April, temperatures have continuously been over 40 degrees Celsius, and meteorologists are referring to this heatwave as the longest in the history of the nation.
“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 stated in a statement.
AEM Kawsar, the game development manager for BCB, reports that 64 district teams are competing in the competition, which is being hosted at 14 locations throughout Bangladesh.
“All match officials have been instructed to finish the matches by 12:30 pm,” Kawsar said to ESPNcricinfo. “If the teams agree, we have even suggested that they begin the matches at 8:30 a.m. The start time is typically 9:00 a.m. Every forty minutes, there will also be a beverage break. We have plenty of ice, lemon juice, and water available. We are offering ice-bath facilities where it is feasible in certain locations. The dressing rooms at every location feature adequate cooling systems, which is a plus.”
There will be 57 matches in all, featuring knockout rounds for the qualifying round, a group stage for the qualifiers, semi-finals, and final. It is the largest cricket competition held by the BCB and was started in the early 1980s.
In this unbearable heat, nevertheless, the Dhaka Premier League goes on. The Super League portion of the one-day competition is still going on, with the last games perhaps ending in early May. Due in large part to Ramadan being in March during cricket season, these are the only domestic events that are currently being played.
The country’s education ministry had mandated that from April 21 to 25, all schools, colleges, and universities be shuttered. The closure is in effect till May 2. In several regions of the nation, including the capital Dhaka, the temperature reached 45 degrees Celsius. Thus far, over 30 people have died from heat-related causes, and hundreds more have been admitted to hospitals.