The controversial Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 is all set to host its inaugural match of the third edition on November 24 this year while the opening ceremony of the country's premier T20 competition will be held two days earlier at Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
The details of the upcoming tournament were announced by the BPL governing council in a press conference Wednesday.
The cash-rich tournament will feature six franchises this year. Rumours were doing the rounds that the Bangladesh Cricket Board was planning to hold a seven-side BPL but eventually decided against it due to a lack of interest shown by the new prospective owners.
The Dhaka franchise was roped in by Beximco while DBL Group purchased Chittagong. Axiom Technologies, Alif Group, I Sports Ltd and Royal Spoting Ltd bought Barisal, Sylhet, Rangpur and Comilla franchises respectively. The six companies have been awarded ownership of the franchises for the next four years.
Among the six franchises, three are new owners while three are from the previous edition. Explaining the changes, BPL GC member secretary Ismail Haider Mallick said: “All the new franchises had requested us for their desired team. For instance, Beximco had requested for Dhaka, DBL Group Chittagong and Axiom Technologies Barisal. We had verbally committed Axiom Technologies of awarding them the Barisal franchise. Later, Alif Group cleared their previous dues and demanded that we assign them Barisal but by then, it was already late. So, Alif Group decided to take Sylhet instead.”
Read more: Controversial BPL 3 set to roll this November
The old owners of Sylhet, Royal Sporting, got hold of new BPL franchise Comilla. The inclusion of Comilla as a franchise raised many eyebrows as it is not a division like the other five franchises but Mallick said: “The Bangladesh government declared Mymensingh a division a few days back. They are thinking of naming Comilla a division too.”
Mallick added that no member of the BPL GC will get the scope to be a part of the six franchises. However, he said the BCB employees and members of the national team management can work for the franchises.
Mallick is an employee of Beximco while BCB president Nazmul Hasan is the CEO of the organisation. Many are concerned if their roles will manipulate the tournament but Mallick turned down allegations of favouritism.
“I work for Beximco Pharmaceuticals but the team were taken by Beximco Group. I am an employee at Beximco, not an owner. I will have no connection with the team. The BCB president is also an employee at Beximco and like me, he also has no relations whatsoever with the team. We will not have any sorts of relation with the Dhaka team taken by Beximco Group,” said Mallick.
BRB Cables was named as the sponsors of BPL 3 and bagged the in-stadia rights in the process.