BPL
Lack of BPL’s ‘professionalism’ keeps Warner away from the tournament
|| CF CORRESPONDENT ||
Australian cricketer David Warner, who last played in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) for Sylhet Sixers in 2019, has recently revealed why he hasn't returned to the tournament.
The former Aussie opener shared his reasons with Bangladesh's Sabbir Rahman in the Zim-Afro T10 tournament and Sabbir shared the reason in an interview with Cricfrenzy.
Sabbir recounted a conversation with Warner, saying, "We, along with Anamul Haque Bijoy and Jimmy Neesham, used to have breakfast together and chat about various things. I asked Warner why he hasn't played in the BPL since 2019, after playing for Sylhet Sixers."
Warner then told Sabbir, "Back then, the BPL had an environment that attracted top players, with cricketers like AB de Villiers participating. But now, the professionalism and organization of the tournament have declined. You need to improve the BPL. Look at the Pakistan Super League (PSL)—it started much later than the BPL, but now PSL is far ahead."
Sabbir admitted that Warner’s words were hard to hear, highlighting the contrast between the two leagues.
Steve Smith also played in the 2019 BPL season, representing Comilla Victorians. Both Warner and Smith were serving bans from international cricket due to the ball-tampering scandal against South Africa in 2018, allowing them to play in the BPL.
That same season also saw other star players like AB de Villiers and Alex Hales feature for Rangpur Riders, while Chris Gayle was a regular participant in the league.