Bangladesh is making a direct pitch to global talent as it prepares to launch its first-ever Women’s Bangladesh Premier League — and Indian cricketers are firmly in that vision.
With the tournament scheduled from April 4 to 14, Rubaba Dowla, chairperson of the BCB Women’s Wing and the WBPL Governing Council, made it clear while speaking to reporters that participation will not be restricted by nationality.
No barriers for Indian participation
“We are open to all,” Dowla said, setting the tone for the league’s international outlook. She reinforced that position by adding, “There is no country-specific restriction. Whoever shows interest, and whichever teams want to bring such players, they can do so. It is open to all, so we will see,” indicating that final decisions will rest with franchises and player willingness.
The statement is significant given that Indian male cricketers are barred from overseas T20 leagues unless they retire from domestic cricket, while Indian women regularly feature in competitions such as the Women’s Big Bash League and The Hundred alongside the Women’s Premier League at home.
To ensure competitive balance, Dowla also confirmed, “Each team must have a minimum of two overseas players, and possibly three to four,” outlining the framework that will shape squad construction in the three-team tournament.
Governance and execution underway
Operational readiness is now the primary focus. “All arrangements for the Women’s BPL are currently underway. We are holding regular meetings. The Governing Council and the working committee are planning together how to execute the tournament in the best possible way,” Dowla said, highlighting coordination between committees as the April window approaches.
The competition is expected to begin in Chattogram and conclude in Dhaka, marking Bangladesh’s long-awaited entry into the women’s franchise ecosystem after multiple postponed attempts in previous years.
International interest and recruitment process
Interest from overseas players has already emerged. “Several international players have already shown interest,” Dowla revealed, before outlining the next step in the process. “The teams will then contact the players and finalise recruitment. There are some well-known star players who have expressed interest,” she added, signalling that franchise-level engagement will now intensify.
Unlike the auction format used in India’s Women’s Premier League, Bangladesh will opt for a draft-based approach. “The draft process will be followed for player selection, and we will organize a proper event for it,” Dowla confirmed.
For domestic cricketers, the BCB has created five salary categories. Icon players will receive BDT 10 lakh (approx. US$ 8.2K). Category A players are set to earn BDT 7 lakh (approx. US$ 5.7K), Category B BDT 5 lakh (approx. US$ 4.1K), Category C BDT 3 lakh (approx. US$ 2.5K) and Category D BDT 1.5 lakh (approx. US$ 1.2K).
Men’s BPL payment issues persist
Despite the interest in the women’s tournament, many are noting that payment issues that plagued the Men’s BPL in the past are persisting now.
Recently, Dhaka Capitals player Nasir Hossain said that he had only received 25% of his payment due for the 2025 season, while agents of other international players have told cricexec that for some players nothing has been paid, and 100% of their contracted payment is still owed.
