Three BPL franchises have backed the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s decision not to rush into another edition of the tournament this year.
The BCB is unlikely to hold the Bangladesh Premier League this year. The board wants to solve the problems that affected the last two editions before bringing the tournament back under a new model. BCB president Tamim Iqbal recently said the board lost around Tk 40 crore from the competition over the past two years.
The board has made it clear that it wants the BPL to return. But it does not want to organise another tournament without fixing the existing problems first.
Players are set to meet BCB president Tamim on Sunday to discuss the issue.
Before that meeting, representatives of three franchises met Tamim on Saturday. Rangpur Riders, Dhaka Capitals and defending champions Rajshahi Warriors took part in the discussion.
Rangpur Riders CEO Ishtiaque Sadeque believes taking more time is better than organising a BPL where franchises cannot meet their promises to players.
“The market situation is getting worse day by day and it will only get worse. So rather than holding a BPL just for the sake of it, promising to pay Tk 30 lakh but eventually not even paying the player Tk 15 lakh, not answering calls and disappearing, it is better to take some time and organise it under a good model,” Sadeque said.
He also revealed that Rangpur still has payments due to some players from the previous tournament.
“January has passed and it has now been almost seven or eight months, but we still have payments due to some local and international players. This is because the sponsors who signed agreements with us did not make the payments they had promised,” he added.
Dhaka Capitals CEO Atik Fahad also supported the plan for a new BPL model.
“The BCB said that after creating a new model for the BPL, they will give us at least four or five months so that we can fulfil their criteria. If the BPL is held the same way it has been held over the last two years, we will not be part of it. Because we are the ones who face most of the criticism,” Fahad said.
“We would like to be involved if a new model is introduced. The BCB president said the BPL will definitely take place, but he is asking for time. Tamim bhai wants to create a good model to improve the standard of the BPL. We are willing to give him that time.”
Rajshahi Warriors CEO Mokshedul Kamal Babu also wants the BPL to continue. But he believes the problems around the competition must first be addressed.
“Of course, we want the BPL to take place. The league needs continuity. But the problems that existed also need to be solved. A good model needs to be created so that the BCB, franchises and players can all benefit,” he said.
The BCB now wants to take its time before bringing the country’s main franchise T20 competition back.
The three franchises also appear ready to wait if that leads to a better and more stable BPL.
