Dhaka will host a triangular cricket tournament involving Zimbabwe, Kenya and Bangladesh in March next year.
President of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Saber Hossain Chowdhury disclosed this at a press briefing yesterday afternoon. Talking to journalists, the BCB supremo said that the tournament, in lieu of the deferred Asia Cup, will be held immediately after the final of the Asian Test championship, scheduled to commence at the Bangabandhu National Stadium from March 12.
``The triangular tournament will start on March 17'', said Saber. Elaborating, Saber said that it would be played in double-league format and the top two teams will advance into the one-off final, slated for March 27.
``It will be a day-night meet. Besides, there will be a rest day after every match to cope with any inclement weather'', said Saber.
The tri-nation tournament will be part of Bangladesh's preparation for the World Cup '99 to be held in England. The national team will tour Pakistan in April, where they will feature in the Wills Cup before setting off for England on April 15. This will be Bangladesh's maiden appearance in the World Cup.
``We had a plan to hold the Asia Cup in Dhaka in October or November this year (after India expressed its non-availability in March). But the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), after detailed discussion, has shifted the biennial event to the year 2000'', said Saber, adding that the eighth edition of the meet is likely to be held in Dhaka from April 25 to May 15 in the new millennium.
Regarding the final match of the first-ever Asian Test championship, Saber said that the decision of picking Dhaka was a sequel to ICC's commitment to hold it in a neutral venue.
Although the event will be run by the ACC, Bangladesh is likely to earn a handsome amount from gate receipts as well as from advertisement.
The Test championship event, unique of its kind, will commence in Calcutta on February 17 with arch-rivals Pakistan and India playing in the inaugural match. Sri Lanka are the other team in the meet. The second match will be held in Colombo while the third one will be played in Lahore.
The playing conditions and other details of the championship will however be disclosed after the ICC meeting in Christchurch, New Zealand, next month.