DHAKA: Bangladesh has criticised the current scheduling system in international cricket as a new tri-series in Zimbabwe threatens their qualification for the 2017 Champions Trophy.

Bangladesh stunned India 2-1 last week and were celebrating their qualification for the eight-team tournament in England after their maiden ODI series victory over their mighty neighbours.

The victory meant Bangladesh, who blanked Pakistan 3-0 in the previous home series, rose to seventh place in the latest ODI rankings with 93 points, ahead of West Indies (88) and Pakistan (87).

Top seven sides and hosts England will compete in the tournament with a Sept 30 cut-off date to determine the rankings of the teams.

Bangladesh’s celebrations, however, proved a bit premature when West Indies, previously not scheduled to play ODIs before the cut-off date, on Saturday announced the Zimbabwe tri-series, also involving Pakistan, in August-September.

Pakistan also get a chance to improve their ODI rankings in the five-match series against hosts Sri Lanka from July 11.

“The whole system has gone wrong ever since the ICC stopped following the FTP and let the boards deal bilaterally,” Dhaka Tribune quoted Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Jalal Yunus as saying.

“This has created loopholes I believe. I don’t support this. This is not healthy competition,” added Jalal.

Bangladesh will now have to win at least one of the three ODIs in the home series against South Africa next month to secure their Champions Trophy place and Jalal was confident the Tigers can do it.

“I believe we still have the chance to keep our place intact in the Champions Trophy. We just need to perform in the ODI series against South Africa,” he added.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2015

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