Prime Bank School Cricket Revives Memories and Inspires a New Generation of Dreams

School cricket—with its once limited equipment, shared bats and helmets, and endless days of dreams—has played a pivotal role in shaping today’s national cricket stars. Ahead of this year’s Prime Bank School Cricket tournament, a press conference revisited such beginnings, where Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Tawhid Hridoy immersed themselves in memories of their first steps in the game.

Hridoy’s connection with school cricket runs deep. He played in this tournament for four consecutive years and even became a champion once. Recalling those days of limited facilities, Hridoy shared,

“We all used to rush to bat wearing the same bat and helmet. There weren’t many playing equipments, and once we joined age-group cricket, it became easier to get them. But amidst all this, there was so much excitement.”

Beyond nostalgia, the national team batter also expressed his thoughts on the current organization of school cricket. He raised a concern about the tournament schedule and encouraged better opportunities for young players. Hridoy said,

“I always follow school cricket. If I’m not mistaken, a year or two ago, some matches couldn’t be played due to rain; the champion was decided by toss then. This is a tournament from which many players emerge, and many more will in the future. I wish the tournament could be held a bit earlier, not during the rainy season, so everyone can play all their matches.”

On the other hand, Nazmul Hossain Shanto’s school cricket journey was a bit different. He had shone on a Kerala tour with a team of school players, a performance that later accelerated his path in age-group cricket. Reflecting on that memory, Shanto said,

“There was a school cricket tour in Kerala. That tournament was very important for my career because I was the best player. After that, I quickly moved to the Under-18 and Under-19 teams. I believe school cricket should be seen on a bigger scale.”

As every year, the Prime Bank School Cricket tournament is unfolding on a large scale. Over 8,500 young cricketers from around 350 schools across 64 districts are participating. The 651-match tournament will start at the district level on April 10 and progress through divisional and national stages.