Tamim Iqbal says no to BPL until financial issues are fixed

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Tamim Iqbal on Thursday ruled out the possibility of hosting the upcoming edition of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), the country's lone franchise-based T20 tournament, scheduled for the end of 2026.

The BCB president insisted that he is not ready to host BPL unless he can fix the financial losses the board incurred during the last two editions, amounting to BDT 40 Crores.

"I have said it a few times that I don't want to organise the BPL this way. One thing has to be said again. In one tournament, for the last two years, BCB has incurred losses of around 40 Crore Taka," Tamim told reporters at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

"Franchise cricket is supposed to make money for Bangladesh Cricket Board. Not lose money so there is something going wrong. Until and unless we fix the issues, it is not absolutely important for us to host this event every year," he said.

"Do we have the intention to do it? Hundred percent. Do I want to rush it? Absolutely not," he added.

When asked if he feels that there is enough time to host BPL in the coming December, Tamim answered negatively.

"I don't think so. I don't think BPL will be held this year," he said.

"A tournament from which the BCB is supposed to make a profit is instead making losses. So until this is corrected, holding it every year is not important to me. We have the intention, but I do not want to rush. If it takes six, 12 or 24 months to do it properly, I will take that time.

"We have started communication with the franchises. The issues involving those who defaulted have to be settled. The issues of missed payments and bank guarantees are being looked at step by step. We will organise the BPL only after taking the BCB to a profit-making position," he said.

"If we can lock all the franchises by April-May, that would be good. Previously, we used to see deadlines being given in August-September, and due to a lack of time, many things could not be recovered. I want to confirm the franchises with enough time so that no one can ruin the tournament intentionally or due to circumstances. If someone defaults, I want to have three to four months in hand to look for an alternative franchise. I want to ensure that the BCB or Bangladesh cricket does not fall into any trouble. I could put five teams together tomorrow if I wanted to, but do you want that? The BPL is a big product and people have a lot of interest in it. So we will move forward while maintaining the dignity of the BCB and ensuring transparency," he said.

"I am willing to face criticism for this. We are working on a formula and have completed around 60-70 percent of the work regarding the domestic calendar. When we announce it, you will see a lot of new things," he added.

Tamim said that he is well aware regarding the position of cricketers given that BPL earnings are a large part of many local players' yearly earnings.

"I am personally communicating with the players. When I was a player, I would also have been disappointed in such a situation. It is true that they will suffer financial losses, but they also understand that the BPL should be a tournament that the BCB and Bangladesh can be proud of," said the president.

"There have been many questions about the quality of the BPL over the last few years. Three or four of the six teams have a record of breaking the rules. When there are so many negative issues, there is no point in holding on to it. The BPL is a good product, and if it is organised properly, its popularity will increase further," he said, adding that he is not ruling out the possibility of foreign franchises coming into the tournament.

"We have to check our policy regarding this (accommodating foreign franchises in BPL). We have to sit with the lawyers and see what the country's policy and the BCB's policy were. If a renowned foreign franchise comes, the acceptability of the BPL will increase. Currently, many franchises are buying teams in different leagues around the world. If someone like that is interested, it will certainly be positive. We are in discussions with many people and there is also interest, but there is a difference between having interest and buying a team. If everything is favourable, we will certainly consider the matter," said Tamim.

Meanwhile, BCB announces a Game Development tournament at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium from August 28 to September 9 comprising Under-17, 19 and 23.

The timing of the tournament and the venue suggest the forthcoming India series, scheduled in September, is all likely to be rescheduled, but Tamim has kept his options open.

"There are discussions regarding the India series, the dates may move around," said Tamim.

"And this tournament (Game Development) is taking place in Mirpur, but if necessary, it can also move to the Bashundhara ground. Once the India series is fixed, we will schedule it accordingly," he said.