Last season, the tournament featured only local players, as part of an effort to sharpen their skills ahead of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The matches were hosted across two venues in Sylhet.
However, according to a report by Cricbuzz, foreign players were previously allowed in the NCL, and their presence was seen as beneficial—particularly in helping local cricketers adapt to the challenges of longer-format cricket.
What the BCB Is Saying
A BCB official involved in NCL planning commented:
“We are looking to get board approval to allow NCL teams to include foreign players in their squads, just like we did in the past. It hasn’t been the case for quite some time now.”
The official also noted that NCL pitches now feature more grass to support fast bowling. The inclusion of quality overseas pacers could push local batters to improve by testing them in tougher conditions.
Availability a Key Challenge
Despite the advantages, availability of overseas players remains a major hurdle. Many countries run their own domestic competitions during the same window, such as India’s Ranji Trophy and Pakistan’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.
“Player availability is an issue since the Ranji Trophy and Quaid-e-Azam Trophy are played at the same time, so we might have to look toward other countries,” the official explained.
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Goswami Calls for India to Forfeit Pakistan Match
Adding to the heated debate, former Bengal cricketer Shreevats Goswami shared a controversial take of his own. He suggested that India should forfeit their Asia Cup match against Pakistan as a political statement — and to let Pakistan move forward in the tournament.
“My read on the Asia Cup going forward is India must forfeit the game against Pakistan and let them qualify. We don’t need to win the Asia Cup. The only reason India is participating is because it helps other nations economically. Ideally, this is what should happen — and if India plays against Pakistan, it will make the nation angry!” Goswami posted on X.
With opinions divided and the tournament heating up, the India vs Pakistan clash — if it happens — is shaping up to be more than just a cricket match.
