Bangladesh to host T20s between Asia XI and World XI in March

To celebrate the birth anniversary of Bangladesh's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Bangladesh Cricket Board will be staging two T20 matches between Asia XI and World XI in March next year.

Rahman was a politician and statesman, who also served as the first president of Bangladesh and later as the Prime Minister of the country. Each year, March 17 is celebrated as a national holiday and next year will mark Rahman's 100th birth anniversary, for which the government is going big, including cricket

On the special occasion, BCB chief Nazmul Hassan expects a strong participation, more so because as per the FCP, only two teams will be playing cricket series.

"There will be a matter of availability if they [the players] have international duties," Hassan said. "I think only two teams will be busy at the time, but they won't be playing T20s, so we might get their T20 players. We are looking for the best players among the current lot, and because the games will have international status, everyone will be serious about it."

Hasan also informed that these two games will get international status, a call that was taken during the ICC meeting last week.

"They made a special dispensation for Bangladesh, but they said it is only a one-off that such a match will get international status," Hassan said. The matches will be held between March 18 and 21 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.