BPL-5: A-plus players given right to choose their franchises

Ending all the speculation and murmurs, Bangladesh Premier League (BPL)’s secretary Ismail Haider Mallick has announced that all the players of category A-plus in the league – including the local talent – have been given the right to choose the franchises they will play for in the upcoming season, slated to begin from November 4.

According to Mallick, the seven teams have been asked to submit the players they want to retain by the next week with the BPL governing council building towards the draft on September 16.

“We have asked the franchises for their list of retained players. They can retain any four of their players, which could include their A-plus category player from last season,” said Mallick.

He further added, “But it has to be done with consultation with those players, who have a choice of whether to leave or stay in the franchise. July 24 is not a deadline, but we expect the franchises to give us their retention list.”

In the meantime, the upcoming 5th season of BPL may also see the introduction of an eighth franchise. Early indications are that the team will be based in Sylhet.

However, the BPL governing council has yet to decide whether they will allow five foreign players in a playing XI or let it remain at four.

“If it will be four or five [overseas players in the playing XI], we will ask the opinion of the franchises. Then we will decide on it.”