BPL players’ draft unlikely before October, confirms BCB

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will not be able to hold the players' draft for the next edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) before October, newly appointed BPL Governing Council Chairman Mahbub Anam informed the media on Wednesday.

With all BPL-related contracts having expired following the conclusion of the previous edition, the BCB intends to issue a new Expression of Interest (EOI) to induct fresh franchises for a five-year cycle. As part of this restructuring, the board is examining the management models of other franchise-based leagues in an effort to enhance its own operations and elevate the BPL to international standards.

"We are hoping to begin the process of onboarding new franchises in August. Our schedule aims to finalise these appointments by September," Mahbub said.

"We have set a timeline. I don't believe the draft will take place before October. If we remain on schedule, we can look to hold the draft in October," he added.

Mahbub also stated that the tender process for appointing a sports management company will commence next week.

"We are also analysing how various franchise tournaments are managed. We've received some initial guidelines from the board, and based on that, we will launch a tender process for selecting an event or sports management company. They will advise us, help structure a sustainable financial model, and guide overall planning," he said.

The BCB also intends to carry out an audit of all stadiums that have previously hosted international fixtures, including venues in Bogura and Khulna. Upon completion of the audit, the board will consult with the National Sports Council (NSC) to assess whether these venues meet the necessary standards for inclusion in the forthcoming BPL season.