Tamim Iqbal calls for stricter franchise selection and reduce teams in BPL
Tamim Iqbal during press meet, BCB
The most talked-about franchise this season is Durbar Rajshahi, which has been plagued by bounced cheques and unpaid salaries. The situation escalated when foreign players boycotted a match, making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
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Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal, who himself was a victim of such issues in 2013, recalled his experience, stating that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had intervened to resolve the matter.
Tamim stressed that the BCB must be more selective in awarding franchises to avoid such financial disputes.
"I have noticed that the 2012 issue keeps coming up, but it actually happened in 2013. The board intervened and made a payment to me, though it was less than the agreed amount. However, the matter was resolved. I want BPL to grow and gain more recognition. At one point, we were progressing rapidly. That’s why it is crucial to be careful when selecting franchises. At the end of the day, if a team cannot pay its players, it becomes a serious issue," Tamim said.
He further added, "In the past, players were left with 50% of their payments pending, and in the end, they had to settle for just 25% after negotiations. This is not the players' fault. They perform well throughout the tournament. The responsibility lies with the franchises and the BCB. Why should players have to bargain for their rightful payments? The issue still hasn’t been fully resolved, but I hope efforts are made to fix it. This doesn't just harm BPL’s reputation; it also sends a negative message about the country. Many foreign players want to come and play, but such incidents create problems. Choosing the right franchises is absolutely crucial."
The ongoing financial issues not only harm BPL’s credibility but also discourage foreign players from participating in future editions. Tamim believes that resolving these payment disputes is crucial for the league’s long-term success.
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"Fortune Barishal has been very professional in handling payments, which is why players trust them. If all franchises follow this model, BPL can grow significantly. The fan turnout this year has been incredible, and with proper management, this league has immense potential," he added.
With leagues like the Big Bash (BBL) and ILT20 running concurrently, BPL franchises struggle to attract top foreign players. Tamim proposed shifting the tournament to October-November, a period with fewer scheduling conflicts.
"The original BPL schedule was in October-November, which was a better time. It didn’t clash with SA20 or ILT20. Now, the only competition would be Abu Dhabi T10, which is much easier to manage," Tamim explained.
Tamim also suggested reducing the number of teams to five or six to improve the quality of competition.
"PSL had only five teams, yet more foreign players joined because of the high-quality cricket. If we reduce the number of teams, it will create more competition and increase the hunger for domestic players to perform," he concluded.
