The 11th edition of the Prime Bank National School Cricket Tournament is set to officially commence tomorrow, Friday (10 April), marking yet another significant milestone in Bangladesh’s grassroots cricket development programme. The competition, regarded as one of the country’s largest youth sporting events, continues to expand in both scale and impact, offering young cricketers from across the nation a vital platform to showcase their talent.
This year’s tournament will feature participation from more than 8,500 school-level cricketers representing 350 schools across all 64 districts of the country. Organisers have confirmed that a total of 651 matches will be played throughout the competition, reflecting its extensive and structured format.
The tournament will begin with district-level fixtures from the opening day, gradually progressing through divisional stages before culminating in the national round. According to organisers, this multi-tiered structure is designed to provide a fair and competitive pathway for emerging players, allowing talent to be identified and nurtured at every level of the competition.
Ahead of the opening matches, the official jersey unveiling ceremony was held on Thursday (9 April) at the media centre of the Bangladesh Cricket Board. The event was attended by senior representatives from Prime Bank, including Additional Managing Director Md Nazim A. Choudhury and Senior Assistant Vice President and Head of Brand and Communications Syed Raihan Tariq. Representatives from the Bangladesh Cricket Board were also present, alongside national team figures such as former captain and chief selector Habibul Bashar, Test skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, and rising national star Towhid Hridoy, who himself emerged through the school cricket system.
Since its inception in 2015, the tournament has played a transformative role in strengthening school cricket across Bangladesh. Organisers report that over the past editions, a total of 3,507 schools have participated, with 6,195 matches completed and 76,235 young cricketers taking part. These figures underline the competition’s status as one of the most extensive youth cricket tournaments in the country.
Beyond competition, the initiative also focuses on player development and support. Each year, selected talented cricketers are awarded scholarships through Bangladesh Cricket Board age-group selectors. In a significant enhancement this season, the number of scholarship recipients has increased from 15 to 25. Moreover, the annual scholarship amount has been doubled from 60,000 taka to 120,000 taka, reflecting a stronger commitment to nurturing future talent.
Officials believe this expanded support system will further strengthen the pipeline of young cricketers, bridging opportunities between rural and urban regions and ensuring wider access to professional development in the sport.
Tournament Overview
| Category | Figure |
|---|---|
| Participating districts | 64 |
| Participating schools (current edition) | 350 |
| Total players (current edition) | 8,500+ |
| Total matches (current edition) | 651 |
| Total schools since 2015 | 3,507 |
| Total matches since 2015 | 6,195 |
| Total players since 2015 | 76,235 |
| Scholarships (this year) | 25 |
| Annual scholarship amount | 120,000 BDT |