|| CF Correspondent ||

The Bangladesh Cricket Board officials feared that forthcoming sixth edition of Bangladesh Premier League could be a less glamorous event as all the major Test playing nations have a busy schedule during the tournament time.

The BCB has planned to hold the tournament from January 5 to February 8 next year, delaying it from the original schedule in October due to upcoming general elections in the country.

The delay could cost the edition several big names, who would have played if it was held in its original schedule, said BPL technical committee member Jalal Yunus.

 ‘The election campaign may get started from November and we are yet to know the specific date of the election. So keeping all these in our minds, we have gone with a safe date of January 5,’ said Jalal.

‘We may have some problem with the schedule as a lot of international players will be on busy schedule on that time. But we have to adjust for the tournament,’ he added.

Players from Pakistan, West Indies and Sri Lanka were mostly seen participating in BPL but this edition could see no star from these countries.

Pakistan will remain busy against South Africa in January when they will play three Tests, five ODIs and three Twenty20s in South Africa while West Indies will host England three Tests, five ODIs and three Twenty20s during that time.

Sri Lanka will visit Australia to play two Tests before facing South Africa in two Tests, five ODIs and three Twenty20s in South Africa in February-March.

New Zealand players will also remain busy as they will host India for five ODIs and three Twenty20 matches in that time.

However the BCB hinted that they had no alternative option to shift the extravagant tournament as Bangladesh would tour New Zealand right after the event finished in February.

The Tigers are scheduled to play three Tests and as many one-day internationals against the Kiwis in New Zealand, which will get underway from February 13.