Bangladesh Cricket Board vice president and BPL Governing Council member secretary Shakhawat Hossain has said there is no doubt over the start of the Bangladesh Premier League. He said the tournament will begin on 26 December as planned. He added that there will be no opening ceremony this year, but all other arrangements are ready.
Shakhawat Hossain made the comments while speaking to sports website Cricbuzz. He said discussions are ongoing with government agencies. He said they have confirmed there will be no problem. He said the venues and all tournament preparations are in place.
His statement comes at a tense time for the country. Bangladesh is again facing political unrest. Tension spread nationwide after Inkilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi was killed by gunfire. Because of the situation, there were concerns about whether the BPL would start on time.
Despite the concerns, the Bangladesh Cricket Board remains confident. As per the earlier schedule, the new BPL season will begin on 26 December at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. The tournament will start outside Dhaka.
Dhaka Capitals chief executive Atiq Fahad also expressed confidence. He said there is no fear of the tournament being postponed. He said some management issues may exist, but preparations are complete. He said the team will begin training from 21 December. He added that everything is ready, from foreign players’ tickets to ground equipment.
The 12th edition of the BPL will start in Sylhet with two matches on the opening day. Rajshahi Warriors will face hosts Sylhet Titans at 2:00 pm. Later in the evening, Noakhali Express will play against Chattogram Royals at 7:00 pm.
After the Sylhet phase, the tournament will move to Chattogram and then Dhaka. A total of 34 matches will be played across the three venues. The Eliminator and the first Qualifier will take place on 19 January. The second Qualifier will be held on 21 January. The Grand Final is scheduled for 23 January.
