Tamim Criticizes Short Boundary Lines at Sylhet in BPL

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has seen its fair share of criticism this season, with the smaller boundary lines in the Sylhet phase now becoming a focal point of debate. The Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium in Dhaka already featured smaller boundaries in its initial stages, resulting in a run fest. However, the boundaries at Sylhet have been made even shorter, with some areas measuring as little as 50 meters, allowing for frequent sixes.

While high run totals are usually celebrated, not everyone is pleased with the changes. Bangladesh cricketer Tamim Iqbal has voiced his disapproval, calling for the boundary lines to be increased.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has faced negative news throughout the BPL, and to combat the criticism, they opted for a high-scoring spectacle. After failing to ensure consistent run-fests through sporting pitches, they decided to reduce the boundary distances further.

At the Mirpur ground, four sections of the field have boundaries that fall below 60 meters, leading to an increased number of sixes. On the first day of the Sylhet leg, a particularly absurd sight caught the attention of fans and social media users. In a match between Durbar Rajshahi and Fortune Barishal, one six was hit with a boundary distance of just 52 meters. The ball even crossed the advertisement boards and went beyond the boundary, indicating the boundary was almost certainly less than 50 meters.

Tamim Iqbal, who scored an unbeaten 86 off 48 balls in such conditions, was not pleased with the smaller boundaries. After the match, he expressed his views in a polite but firm manner, stating, “The way the pitch has been prepared is very good. I want to see larger boundaries. When there is space, why are we playing on boundaries of 58-60 yards? I don’t know. In international cricket, boundaries of 65-70 yards are common, which gives bowlers a chance.”

He further added, “The wicket has been great… credit should go to the curators for preparing an excellent pitch. But when the wicket is so good, the boundaries should be extended, especially if there’s enough space. It would give bowlers an opportunity as well. At the moment, there’s nothing for the bowlers. I hope and pray that the top decision-makers are listening to me and move the boundaries further back because there is enough space.”