Back in June, BPL governing council chairman Iftekhar Rahman Mithu had hinted that foreign investors might be considered if they met all criteria and government regulations. However, a few months later, the board has reversed its stance.
On October 11, BCB invited Expressions of Interest (EOI) from local companies to own franchises representing ten regional teams. Due to time constraints, only five qualified local entities will be selected.
A BCB source confirmed to Cricfrenzy that foreign companies are not eligible this time. Vice President Faruque Ahmed also hinted at the same during the NCL T20 final in Sylhet, saying, “Looks like there’s no change this time either.”
In recent years, the BPL has faced criticism over poor pitches, management issues, and delayed player payments. Once home to global cricket stars, the tournament’s quality has declined, now featuring mostly lesser-known players or those out of national contention.
The upcoming season, scheduled for December–January, may see a similar trend since it clashes with the Big Bash League (Australia), SA20 (South Africa), and IL T20 (UAE), making it difficult to attract top international talent.
Faruque acknowledged the scheduling challenge, saying, “If the ILT20 in Dubai overlaps with the BPL, it’ll be tough to get good foreign players. If not, we’ll have more options.”
Adding to the concern, Pakistani players, long a major presence in the BPL, might also be unavailable, as the PCB plans to withhold NOCs following their team’s poor performance in ICC and ACC events.
Faruque, however, remains optimistic: “Yes, the NOC issue with Pakistan is a worry. But I believe other international players will fill that gap if the schedule doesn’t clash with ILT20.”
