BPL faces overhaul

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is set for a major overhaul, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the franchises discussing a sustainable model, long-term roadmap and stricter compliance framework to give the country’s premier T20 competition a more professional and stable future.

The future of the BPL came under renewed discussion on Saturday after the BCB held a meeting at its headquarters with three franchises — Rangpur Riders, Dhaka Capitals and the current champion Rajshahi Warriors — as the board considers reforms to the competition.

The BCB president Tamim Iqbal earlier made it clear that the BPL could be postponed until next year if the proposed reforms cannot be completed in time.

Rangpur Riders Managing Director and CEO Ishtiaque Sadeque said the BPL needs a fundamental rethink after a decade without a sustainable long-term structure.

“The BPL needs reform because we have been here for the last 10 years, but we do not have any constructive idea or any sustainable model,” Ishtiaque told reporters after the meeting.

One of the biggest demands from the franchises is greater certainty over the BPL calendar. Ishtiaque said Rangpur Riders have asked the BCB to provide a five-year calendar from the next edition onwards, arguing that the lack of advance planning puts the BPL at a disadvantage in the increasingly crowded international T20 market.

“From whenever the next BPL is held, we have asked for a five-year calendar,” he stated.

“Because when we go to contract players, there are a minimum of 20 franchise cricket leagues in the international T20 market. So our BPL gets the lowest priority,” he added.

“When we want to bring top-class players, this is something we have pointed out. We have asked that the calendar be given to us for five years," he explained.

Rajshahi Warriors CEO Moksedul Kamal Babu admitted that Rajshahi Warriors are disappointed by the possibility of a break in the BPL’s annual cycle, pointing out that a franchise’s work continues throughout the year.

“Are we disappointed? Yes, we certainly are, because the continuity of a league is very important. When a league does not have continuity, the BPL is not just about a few days of matches,” he said.

“Beyond that, every franchise has a lot of work to do. From building the team to sponsorships, we work on these things throughout the entire year,'' he added.

“So, from that perspective, having this continuity broken is somewhat of a disruption. But we are perhaps accepting that disruption for the greater good,” Babu explained.

Dhaka Capitals CEO Atik Fahad issued the strongest warning from a franchise owner, saying he would not be willing to continue if the BPL is conducted under the same framework used during the last two editions.