The BPL will take place, and excitement is inevitable. From the start, the tournament has been generating buzz. Today, the BPL Governing Committee indicated the conclusion of the pre-tournament process.
Amid these indications, it has been confirmed that this year’s BPL will feature six teams instead of five. Noakhali Express has been finalised as the new team. Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip, the Secretary of the BPL Governing Council, announced that the team is owned by the transport company Desh Travels.
At a press conference, Iftekhar Rahman Mithu confirmed the matter, stating, “After finalising five teams, we met with the cricket players’ organisation, COAB. They requested that with six teams, at least 15–20 more local cricketers would have earning opportunities. Some franchises provided cash instead of fulfilling the 10 crore taka requirement. Considering financial factors, we included them. Giving opportunities to 15–16 local players was also a factor.”
He added, “Having six teams will make scheduling easier. With five teams, arranging two matches per day was challenging.”
The six-team BPL will begin on 19 December, with the first phase in Sylhet. The final is scheduled for 16 January. The auction, delayed in two phases, will take place on 30 November.
Apart from Noakhali Express, the other five franchises are—Dhaka Capitals (Champion Sports), Rangpur Riders (Toggi Sports), Chattogram Royals (Triangle Services), Rajshahi Warriors (Nabil Group), and Sylhet Titans (Cricket With Sami).
Khaborwala/SS
