The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will launch a nationwide fast-bowling talent hunt on Tuesday also joining hands with Robi Axiata PLC for the initiative titled "Robi Bowler Hunt."
The programme will be inaugurated at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur with BCB President Tamim Iqbal and Robi Axiata CEO Ziad Shatara expected to attend along with officials from both organisations as reports.
The initiative follows the success of a similar 2007 scouting programme run by BCB and Grameenphone which discovered Rubel Hossain a tape-tennis-ball cricketer from Bagerhat who went on to represent Bangladesh internationally.
Bangladesh's pace attack, once considered the team's weak link, has improved significantly in recent years. That progress was on full display during the historic Test win in Darwin, Australia where Hasan Mahmud claimed nine wickets in the match including a career-best 6-55, to earn player-of-the-match honours. Although Bangladesh lost the following Test in Mackay, Shoriful Islam produced a memorable seven-wicket haul.
Current pace bowlers such as Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Nahid Rana and Tanzim Hasan Sakib continue to perform consistently on the international stage.
BCB said sustaining this momentum requires continuously scouting fresh talent. Through the Robi Bowler Hunt, young bowlers from across the country will get a platform to showcase their skills and receive training and support. Organisers hope the programme will unearth future pace stars capable of following in the footsteps of past discoveries.
