Bangladesh Premier League 2024 on the verge of being called off just days before player draft
Published - 11 Oct 2024, 12:15 PM | Updated - 11 Oct 2024, 11:37 PM
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The upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) season, which is reportedly set to begin on December 27, is in the midst of confusion and uncertainty. The newly-formed Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has yet to announce the Governing Council chairman and secretary of the Bangladesh Premier League.
Chairman and secretary positions for the tournament's Governing Council have been vacant since the exit of Sheikh Sohel and Ismail Haider Mallick. They left the country after the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from the Awami League government.
Uncertainty Clouds the Bangladesh Premier League 2024
The cricket board is facing a tight deadline ahead of the player draft scheduled for October 14. BCB is struggling to fill the two vacant positions on the Governing Council and finalize the names of the seven teams that will participate in the tournament with 72 hours remaining before the event.
Three Teams From the Previous BPL Edition Have Walked Away
Three teams from the previous Bangladesh Premier League edition have withdrawn from the upcoming season. Four-time champions Comilla Victorians decided not to take part in the BPL, while Durdanto Dhaka has also decided to back out.
As per the report, officials from the Chattogram Challengers have stated that they haven't been allowed to compete in the BPL 2024. They stated that the new board president, Faruque Ahmed, has not provided them with a fair chance.
"Though the BCB boss has had several meetings with the potential new owners, as well as some older ones, it is understood that the participating list of teams is not rubber-stamped as some of them are yet to make their payments required to take part in the tournament," a report by Cricbuzz said.
Mashrafe Mortaza Placed In Grade B For Upcoming Player Draft
Former Bangladesh national captain Mashrafe Mortaza has been placed in Grade B for the upcoming player draft. The 41-year-old hasn't played competitive cricket in recent times. He had taken a break during last year's BPL season to focus on his political responsibilities ahead of the national elections in January.
BCB officials said that they decided to place Mashrafe Mortaza in Grade B as a sign of respect. They also stated that they have spoken with Mashrafe regarding his place in the players' draft. The report added that there might be one or two adjustments in player categories if necessary.
"We have spoken with Mashrafe regarding his place in the player's draft. The board might make one or two changes in the players' category if required," a BCB official told Cricbuzz.
A total of 188 players have been placed into six groups for the draft. The categories A and B each include 12 players, while Category C has 22 players. Categories D, E, and F consist of 28, 51, and 63 players, respectively.
Category A has the highest price cap for players at Tk 60 lacs, followed by Category B at Tk 40 lacs, Category C at Tk 25 lacs, Category D at Tk 20 lacs, Category E at Tk 15 lacs, and Category F at Tk 10 lacs.
