Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) not ready to welcome Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises to invest in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). This is because the governing body fears that they may lose their rights.
Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises are asserting their authority in the world. They have invested a lot in leagues around the world and dominate cricket. They have owned teams in some of the world’s biggest leagues in SA20, ILT20 and MLC.
However, there are still some leagues that are operated by their own boards of directors. One of them is the Bangladesh Premier League. The tournament was born in 2012 and has been going well since then. But with the presence of Indian franchises in other leagues, they have surpassed the BPL in a short time.
No doubt, Indian shareholders are trying to invest in almost all leagues. Considering their success, many have welcomed them with both seams. However, some of the boards are still not interested, and one of them is the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
BPL Governing Council Member Secretary Ismail Haider revealed that IPL franchises approached them many times. He added that the BCB decided to organize the tournament according to its own rules and was against anyone else doing it. He also admitted that they did not accept the demands of the IPL franchises because they did not want to lose rights. Speaking to reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, he explained (quoted by Cricbuzz):
“They (IPL franchises) don’t want to come or maybe there is no reason to come. They (IPL franchises) approached us many times. The board’s decision was to develop the tournament according to the style of our country. “We don’t want to do something where the rights to the tournament are not in our hands and go to someone else.”
We are losing money because they are not willing to accept substitute bets – BCB’s Ismail Haider
BCB’s Ismail Haider further added that the BCB is losing a lot of money because it is against welcoming betting companies. According to Bangladesh government regulations, gambling companies cannot be allowed to operate.
Ismail Haider further added that apart from the IPL and a few other leagues, almost all the leagues are going through economic stagnation. He highlighted how betting companies are helping the country sustain the economy. He added (quoted by Cricbuzz):
“The entire world is going through economic stagnation. Apart from IPL and the Indian cricket board, I also used Big Bash as an example. Shujon bhai goes to ICC and talks to the CEOs of each board. We know how much each person earns and what is told to the media.
“It is difficult to do a T20 tournament [in this climate]. Not just the T20 tournament, most of the national teams allow substitutes. Apart from one or two, most are accepting it, including India.”
The 2024 edition of the Bangladesh Premier League organized by BCB will begin on January 18. Dhaka Dominators will take on Comilla Victorians in the first match.