The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) player draft will not be held before October, as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) prepares a major overhaul of the league’s structure, ownership model, and venue readiness standards.
The delay comes after the expiration of existing franchise agreements, prompting the BCB to initiate a new five-year cycle. This will start with a fresh Expression of Interest (EOI) process aimed at onboarding new team owners.
Franchise bidding opens in August
Mahbub Anam, the newly appointed BPL Governing Council Chairman, confirmed that the BCB will begin franchise bidding in August, with final appointments scheduled for September. The draft is tentatively set for October.
“We are hoping that in August we will be starting the process of taking in new franchises. In September we have a schedule to appoint these new franchises… I believe the draft will not take place before October,” Mahbub told The Daily Star.
BCB to hire professional sports management firm
In an effort to modernize the league’s operations, the BCB plans to work with a professional sports management company. The selected firm will help the board redesign its financial and operational models to ensure long-term sustainability.
“We will go to a tender process for event management or sports management company. They will give us direction, structure our financial model so that it’s sustainable,” Mahbub added.
This move is part of a larger strategy to bring the BPL in line with global T20 franchise leagues, both in terms of execution and revenue generation.
Stadium audit ahead of final venue selection
Simultaneously, the BCB will conduct a review of all stadiums that have previously hosted international matches. This includes venues in Bogura and Khulna, which will be evaluated for compliance with updated standards.
The National Sports Council (NSC) will be consulted in the process, and only stadiums that meet the revised criteria will be approved for the upcoming season.
A pivotal relaunch for Bangladesh’s top T20 league
The next few months represent a critical reset for the BPL, as the BCB works to implement a more globally aligned structure. With new franchise selections planned for August and September, followed by a draft in October, the revamped BPL aims to emerge stronger and more professionally managed.
