The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) appears to be facing turbulent times as uncertainties surrounding the tournament continue to mount. Despite recent changes in the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) following elections, organising the BPL successfully remains a significant challenge. Chief among the issues plaguing the tournament is the inability of many franchise owners to meet financial obligations, particularly payments to players and team management. Additionally, concerns about possible match-fixing continue to hover, raising questions about the league’s credibility.
This year, five franchises were granted ownership following an Expression of Interest (EOI) process, which required each franchise to provide a bank guarantee of BDT 10 crore within the stipulated timeframe. The BPL Governing Council announced the franchises on 5 November, and teams received ownership documents two days later. However, as of 13 November, two franchises had reportedly failed to submit the bank guarantees, prompting an extension until 18 November. Chattogram and Sylhet are understood to be the teams struggling to fulfil this financial obligation.
Beyond financial concerns, reports suggest that at least two teams have been approached by groups with alleged links to gambling and match-fixing, seeking to gain influence over operations. A source within the BPL, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that such attempts are being monitored closely and will be firmly resisted. Failure to resolve these issues promptly could threaten the credibility of the player auction scheduled for 23 November and, ultimately, the entire tournament.
The BCB faces a dual challenge: ensuring financial stability and protecting the BPL from any external attempts to compromise the integrity of the game. Only strict enforcement and vigilant oversight can secure the league’s long-term sustainability and maintain its reputation as a professional, corruption-free cricket tournament.