Agency :
The international cricket matches are going to be held in Rajshahi city within the near future after a long 13-year gap.
In the matches scheduled to be held from May 11, the hosts Bangladesh U 19 cricket team will face its Pakistan counterpart at Shaheed AHM Kamaruzzaman Divisional Stadium in Rajshahi.
Arefin Islam, Rajshahi Venue Manager of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), said three one-day matches between the two teams will be held on May 11, 13, and 15, while the only T-20 match on May 17 here.
He also said all sorts of necessary preparations centering the cricket series were already completed.
Arefin also said an unofficial Test, five one-day matches and one T20 match will be held against the Bangladesh U-19 team in this tour.
The Pakistan U-19 team will come directly to Dhaka and then go to Chittagong. The only Test and the first two one-day matches of the tour will be played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong.
Shaheed Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi has been selected as the venue for the remaining three one-day matches and the only T20.
Khaled Mashud Pilot, the former captain of the Bangladesh National Cricket team, said that there was no international match in Rajshahi for many years.
At least a new chapter will begin when the Under-18, 19 games are played. It will be very good for Rajshahi Cricket Stadium. Rajshahi and Rajshahi players will once again be promoted in international cricket.
Mashud Pilot said the Shaheed AHM Kamaruzzaman Divisional Stadium is one of the biggest cricket venues in the country’s northwest region but has been neglected for long.
National and international cricket stars have played here for various teams and clubs, but there has been no international cricket competition for many years.
Shaheed AHM Kamaruzzaman Divisional Stadium was built in 2004 with a capacity of 15,000. The stadium hosted three group stage matches of the 2004 U-19 Cricket World Cup and lastly four matches of the 2010 South Asian Games.