Lahore Qalandars co-owner and chief operating officer Sameen Rana has expressed interest in joining the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Rana said he wants to contribute to Bangladesh cricket and believes his experience in franchise cricket could help the tournament improve.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has postponed the upcoming BPL season to address financial irregularities and revamp the competition. BCB president Tamim Iqbal has indicated that the board is open to foreign franchise owners who meet the required protocols.
Lahore Qalandars' Sameen Rana Expresses Interest in Joining the Bangladesh Premier League
Sameen Rana spent time with Tamim Iqbal at the Sheikh Abu Jayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi during Bangladesh’s tri-series opener against Zimbabwe on Saturday. The two discussed franchise cricket during the lunch break, after which Rana spoke to reporters about his interest in the BPL.
“If there’s an opportunity, I would love to be part of the BPL. Obviously, Bangladesh is very close to my heart. I've been looking for an opportunity to be involved in Bangladesh cricket in some capacity. It really depends on what kind of opportunity comes along,” Rana said.
“The BPL is a wonderful tournament. I know it's been struggling for some time, and I know there are reasons behind that. But I think, with the kind of passion we have for cricket in Bangladesh and Pakistan, the league really shouldn't be struggling. And if an opportunity arises where we can create a win-win situation, I would absolutely love to be part of the BPL,” he added.
Sameen Rana Hopes to Use His 11 Years of PSL Experience With Lahore Qalandars
Sameen Rana has spent 11 years working with Lahore Qalandars in the PSL. He has also been involved in South Africa’s Global League, T10 cricket and worked with Cricket Canada. He believes his knowledge of franchise operations could help the BCB improve the BPL.
“Some of the discussions I had with Tamim bhai were about sharing experiences. Obviously, I've been part of the PSL for 11 years. I've also been involved with the Global League in South Africa. We were part of that group.
I've been involved in T10 cricket multiple times, and I've been interacting with Cricket Canada for quite some time. So, over the years, we've built a lot of knowledge, experience, and understanding. We were sharing some thoughts about how things could be improved,” he said.
Lahore Qalandars Owner Proposes Player Exchange Programme With BCB
The Lahore Qalandars owner also expressed interest in establishing a player exchange programme with the BCB. The initiative would allow emerging Bangladeshi cricketers to train at the franchise's high-performance facilities in Pakistan and learn from its development system.
Rana pointed to similar initiatives with other cricketing nations, including an agreement with Guyana’s Ministry of Youth and Culture and a programme that brought eight Zimbabwean players to the High Performance Centre in Islamabad for six weeks.
“Inshallah, I would love to come to Bangladesh. Hopefully, we’ll find an opportunity through the BPL. And if not, I would love to establish an exchange programme with the Bangladesh Cricket Board. We’ve recently signed an agreement with Guyana, with their Ministry of Youth and Culture, and they’ll be sending their players. We also had eight players from Zimbabwe spending six weeks at the High Performance Centre in Islamabad,” Rana said.
“So, I would love to see players from Bangladesh coming to Pakistan, if they’re interested, so that we can learn from each other. That’s my plan,” he concluded.
Lahore Qalandars already has a following in Bangladesh, with several Bangladeshi players having represented it in the PSL. They include all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, leg-spinner Rishad Hossain and left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman.
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