Bangladesh officially demands Smriti Mandhana and other Indian cricketers’ participation in Women’s BPL

After multiple attempts, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is finally on its way to host their inaugural edition of the Women's Bangladesh Premier League (WBPL). The cricket authority of the nation keeps the door open for cricketers across the world, including the Indian cricketers, despite the recent rift before the T20 World Cup 2026.

As per reports in Cricbuzz, the inaugural edition of the WBPL is scheduled to be held from April 4 to April 14, involving three teams. The first-ever match of the league is scheduled to be held in Chattogram, and the final match will be in Dhaka.

Official announcements regarding the inaugural season of the Women's BPL

The BCB made an official announcement on Wednesday after holding its first coordination meeting at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium regarding the tournament. The chairperson of the Women's section of the BCB and the WBPL Governing Council, Rubaba Dowla, stated that they will happily welcome the Indian cricketers in the tournament.

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"Several international players have already shown interest. The teams will then contact the players and finalize recruitment. Some well-known star players have expressed interest", Rubaba told reporters.

Will the Indian cricketers be allowed to take part in the tournament?

Will they allow the Indian cricketers to participate in the League? In reply to the specific question, she said that there will be no barriers for any players from any nation. If the teams in the league showed interest in any specific player, they will be free to make a connection.

"We are open to all. There is no country-specific restriction. Whoever shows interest, and whichever teams want to bring such players, can do so. It is open to all, so we will see", Rubaba informed.

To make the inaugural edition of the Women's BPL successful, the officials are trying their best, holding meetings regarding the arrangements. The final output will result from the collaboration of the Governing Council and the working committee.

All arrangements for the Women's BPL are currently underway. We are holding regular meetings. The Governing Council and the working committee are planning together how to execute the tournament in the best possible way," she added.

Early rift between the two neighbouring countries

It is worth noting that BCB officials went against India and the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the snub of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL 2026 amid the geopolitical tensions. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had to release the Bangladesh pacer as per BCCI directives.

In protest, the BCB officials refused to travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026. As they remained firm on their decision, ICC ejected the Bangladesh cricket team from the tournament. The drama ahead of the flagship tournament resulted in a fresh, heated situation between two neighbouring nations, India and Bangladesh.

Now, the situation seems improved after the general election in Bangladesh. The BCB officials may make some attempts to make a bond with the BCCI.

Read More: Dasun Shanaka demands government action after Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup 2026 humiliation