All the four foreign teams — Afghanistan, England, India and Pakistan — reached Dhaka to play in the five-nation First ICRC International T20 Cricket Tournament for cricketers with physical disabilities, beginning here on Wednesday (September 2). Country’s sports-loving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the nine-day tournament through a opening ceremony at 10 am at the Home of Bangladesh Cricket — Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) in Mirpur.Hosts Bangladesh will play England in the opening match which will kick off at 11 am at the SBNCS. The match is open for all. The remaining matches and the prize distribution ceremony of the meet will be held at BKSP in Savar from September 3-10. England is the first foreign team to reach Dhaka on Friday (August 28). Afghanistan team arrived in the city on Monday at 8:40 am followed by India at 12:10pm and Pakistan at 5:20pm. International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is organising the meet, first of its kind, with the co-operation of the Youth and Sports Ministry, Bangladesh Cricket Board and Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan (BKSP).The tournament aims to socially include physical disabilities persons through sports participation. Ahead of the tournament, a press briefing will held tomorrow (Tuesday) in the Press Conference area of SBNCS to give overall idea and objectives of the tournament.Later, unveiling of Bangladesh’s Jersey and Tournament’s Trophy will take place. BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury, Bangladesh’s ODI and T20 Captain and Brand Ambassador of the tournament Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, ICRC Head of Delegation Christine Cipolla and ICRC Physical Rehabilitation Project Manager Gerd Van de Velde will be present at the press briefing.Earlier on Saturday, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 15-member BCB Physically Challenged Cricket Team for the meet. To participate in the five-nation tournament for the first time, Bangladeshi cricketers were picked through a Talent Hunt program in March last.BCB T20 Squad: SM Shaharia Shamim, Mohammad Moniruzzaman, Mohammad Amin Uddin, Mohammad Alam Khan, Apurbo Kumar Paul, Drupam Patranabish Tirtho, Mohammad Suzaul Islam, Rifat Hossain Bappy, Mohammad Rasel Sikder, Mohammad Mamunur Rashid, Mohammad Sana Ullah, Mohammad Nasim, Mohammad Jahid Hasan, Shariful Islam and Faisal Khan Shumit. Captain of BCB team will be announced later.Reserve players are: Mohammad Shawon Mahmud, Sujan Debnath and Mohammad Saiful Islam Khan. Team officialsMasud Hasan (Manager cum Head Coach), Mohammad Rashed Iqbal (Assistant Coach), Rayhan Gaffar Saymon (Fielding Coach) and Kazi Emdadul Haq (Team Physio).Fixture of the Tournament: Sept 3 (Thursday): Pakistan vs Afghanistan at 9:30 am; India vs England at 1:30 pm (BKSP Cricket Ground 3 and 4). Sept 4 (Friday): India vs Afghanistan at 9:30am and Bangladesh vs Pakistanat at 1:30 pm (BKSP Cricket Ground 3 and 4). Sept 6 (Sunday): Bangladesh vs Afghanistan at 9:30am and India vs Pakistan at 1:30pm (BKSP Cricket Ground 3 and 4). Sept 7 (Monday): Pakistan vs England at 9.30am and Bangladesh vs India at 1.30pm (BKSP Cricket Ground 3 and 4)Sept 8 (Tuesday): England vs Afghanistan at 9.30am at BKSP Cricket Ground 3 or 4. The final match of the tournament will be held at BKSP Cricket Ground-4 on September 10 (Thursday) at 9:30 am. The prize giving ceremony will also be held on the same day and venue.
