HP team to be constructed with U-23 players

Bangladesh Cricket Board director Naimur Rahman Durjoy said that the management are thinking of an age cap for the high-performance (HP) team following a meeting today.

The meeting was arranged to discuss HP team's future and planning. The committee discussed the time frame and venue where high performance camps will take place, Naimur informed.

The matter of head coach Simon Helmot's continuation with the HP squad is yet to be decided. "He still has a contract," Naimur said. "If he is available within the time frame of the program, then we will continue with him," he added.

The HP team had faced issues with scheduling tours due to their time frame not matching with A team's scheduling. This time the strategy will be to think of HP team as a separate entity. The BCB is thinking of putting an age cap for the HP team.

"Since we have a separate program for HP, so there is no need for it to get involved with A team. If A team needs any player from here or if there are players who can play in the A team, then those players can move to the A team.

"We will have an age bar and direct HP as it should be run. We have thought of age and since a tournament like emerging cup has U-23 cap, so we're trying to design it with U-23 [players] in mind.

Naimur also said that they are thinking of having a big enough squad to form two teams during practice. "We're thinking of 24-25 players. HP plays matches and for practice we can have two teams. We will be doing it to have options in hand," he concluded.