Bangladesh national players to miss league matches

Dhaka: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has barred national cricketers from playing in local league matches so they can focus on international events, BCB officials said Today. ''We have decided not to allow national cricketers to play league matches so that they can concentrate more on international events at home and abroad,'' said BCB general secretary Syed Ashraful Hoque.The decision was announced ahead of Bangladesh's first ever tour, to Zimbabwe in April to play two Tests and three One-day Internationals. Bangladesh, which won Test status in June last year, lost its maiden Test against India in Dhaka in November. Hoque dismissed the idea the BCB move would deprive the players of extra money from clubs in the domestic league.''A total of 18 national cricketers have been brought under the board's payroll since last year,'' Hoque told Reuters, adding more would follow.The board announced a 22-member squad to attend a training camp before leaving for Harare, with two new players - medium pacer Mohammad Sharif and all-rounder Mohammad Ashraful. The squad: Naimur Rahman, Khaled Mashud, Akram Khan, AminulIslam, Javed Omar Belim, Habibul Bashar, Shahriar Hossain, EnamulHoque, Al-Shahriar (one name), Hasibul Hossain, Monjurul Islam,Bikash Ranjan Das, Rajin Saleh, Nasirul Alam, Fahim Muntasir,Ehsanul Hoque, Mushfiqur Rahman, Sabbir Khan, Mohammad Rafique,Mohammad Ashraful, Mehrab Hossain and Mohammad Sharif. Officials said the board would name the captain next month.(c) Reuters Limited. Click here for Restrictions