'Five teams enough'
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon expressed his determination to hold the third edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) in November of this year, even if the organisers have to go forward with five franchises, instead of seven like they previously did.
"We can even hold the BPL with five teams, but we have always thought about six teams," said Papon while talking to reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
"Four organisations have sought an extension of the deadline, but there are two issues. The first is whether we will accept their demand and the second is if it is accepted, then we have to decide who to pick from the four. Besides them, an old team also wanted a chance. So we can't say anything now."
Papon said that at the moment they have five companies in hand and he was hopeful that they would reach a decision regarding the rest of the interested parties by September 4.
DBL Group, Dhaka Dynamics (representing Beximco), Axiom Technologies, I Sports Limited and Royal Sporting Limited were the companies which submitted the requisite financial documents before the August 30 deadline to almost confirm their participation in the third edition of the trouble-hit league.
When Papon's attention was drawn to the legal notice from Dhaka Gladiators, he responded, "Officially, I don't know whether any legal notice came from Dhaka Gladiators, but I heard that a notice came to the board and I can only understand fully when I see it."
It was learnt that the Dhaka Gladiators served the legal notice regarding the issue of pending dues.
There has been talk of a series between Bangladesh and Pakistan, but Papon said there is little chance of that happening before 2016.
"I don't see any chance to play a series against any team in December because we have the BPL and before that we have a home series against Australia. After that we have the Asia Cup, followed by the ICC World Twenty20 and a series against Zimbabwe in January. So we don't have time and that's why there is no initiative from us."
Sources however informed that an additional series may take place in December if the BPL is ultimately a five-team league.
"A five team tournament means we will need lesser time to finish [the tournament], so in that case we may play an additional series, but nothing is confirmed yet," said an official on condition of anonymity.
In response to another question, Papon said that a five-member security team will fly for Pakistan on September 5 to assess the security in Karachi and Lahore. The BCB is sending the security team in connection with the proposed tour of the Bangladesh Women's Cricket team to Pakistan.
Papon also informed that they are considering opening a wing in the BCB which will deal with disabled cricketers from all over the country.
Comments