BCB still hopeful for third BPL

The BCB has once again said they are looking to host a third edition of the Bangladesh Premier League and slot the domestic T20 tournament in December, but not before they make its structure more "reasonable and realistic".

The BPL's second edition ended on February 19, 2013 after which the BPL tribunal dealt with corruption allegations on a number of players and officials, with the player payment issues also resurfacing from time to time.

A press conference in Mirpur on Tuesday was the third time after April 17 and August 27 last year that the BCB said they wished to continue the T20 tournament.

"It is not an official announcement but we are looking at a window in December to hold the third edition of the BPL if everything goes to plan and the international schedule is sorted out," Ismail Haider Mallick, the BPL's governing council member-secretary, said. "The Asia Cup and World T20 are at the start of next year. We want to host the third edition of the BPL before these two tournaments. It will help the players' preparations.

"The financial structure of the next tournament will have big changes, so that we can hold the tournament every year. We are trying to keep it reasonable and realistic."

Mallick claimed that the players' payments were almost cleared. "We have cleared 90% of all payments. If we still get any valid claims, we will look into it carefully. For the local players who are still unpaid, we have given Naimur Rahman the responsibility to get their payment cleared."

Mallick said that as seven franchises had defaulted and subsequently been served termination papers, the board would look for new franchises for the third edition.

"All of the franchises are defaulters. We will not wait for them for the third edition. We are already in discussions with some interested parties who want to become franchises. We have sent repeated letters to the seven franchises to pay their dues.

"But they haven't acted according to our contract. We have sent them the termination letter, and then also given then arbitration letter too. But they have never replied to either of the letters. They didn't even contact us.

"The other franchises could participate in the next tournament but they have to clear all their dues and appeal to the BCB, which will decide whether to allow them or not."

Mallick added that Dhaka Gladiators are unlikely to be participate if there is a third BPL due to the corruption charges against them. Their owners Shihab Jishan Chowdhury and Salim Chowdhury have been each banned for 10 years.

"It is almost confirmed that Dhaka Gladiators will not be participating in the next BPL because the ICC has given a decision about them and they cannot legally stay in the tournament," he said.