Preparations for the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) have been underway for some time now. Following last month’s elections for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) management committee, the responsibility for overseeing the BPL has been handed to the newly appointed board president, Aminul Islam Bulbul. Additionally, Iftekhar Rahman Mithu has been named as the new general secretary of the board.
Meanwhile, the event management company IMG, which has already taken charge of managing the BPL, will continue its role for the current season and has also secured the responsibility for organising the league for the next three seasons. The participating teams for this season are nearly confirmed, with six teams set to compete in the upcoming BPL.
However, two teams, Fortune Barishal and Khulna Tigers, will not participate this season. A potential new name for the Rajshahi franchise may be “Rajshahi Stars.” Additionally, teams from Sylhet, Chattogram, Dhaka, and Barishal are all expected to come under new ownership. Although there had been rumours of Rajshahi being added as a new venue for the tournament, it has been confirmed that the preparations for the ground there will not be completed in time for the tournament. As a result, this year’s BPL will be played across three venues. A source from the BCB confirmed this information to Dhaka Post.
Regarding the match schedule, most of the fixtures are expected to be held at two stadiums outside Dhaka, with a few early matches and some towards the end likely taking place at the Mirpur Stadium. This decision has been made considering the pitch conditions at Mirpur.
If all goes according to plan, the players’ draft for the BPL could take place between 17 and 20 November, with the 12th season of the BPL scheduled to begin in the third week of December.