"We could not create a market for BPL" - Shakib Al Hasan lashes out at BCB

Bangladesh Test and T20I skipper Shakib Al Hasan has launched a series of scathing remarks against the organizers of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

The upcoming 2023 BPL will be the ninth season of Bangladesh's premier franchise tournament since it started in 2012. The BPL 9 is scheduled from January 6 to February 16 for a seven-team event.

Shakib, who is set to lead the Fortune Barishal franchise, rebuked the Bangladesh Cricket Board for failing to set up an appropriate market in their country itself.

Speaking to local reporters on Wednesday, January 4, Shakib mentioned the shortcomings of the board, saying:

"There is no market (for BPL) because we could not create a market for it because if we could add value to it certainly this market would have been a big one. You won't find any remote area where cricket is not played."

He added:

"You go to the remotest area and even there people play cricket with a bat and a ball. So it is not a fact that it doesn't have popularity. So it is difficult to believe there is no market in a country with a population of 16 to 20 Crore where the sport has such a popularity. So this is a big failure from a marketing point of view because that is the reason we could not create a market like it (IPL)."

The veteran Bangladesh all-rounder also pointed out that players haven't received their team uniforms and drew BPL's management comparisons with the country's 50-over domestic tournament - Dhaka Premier League (DPL).

Shakib said:

"The players did not get their outfits. I saw these in your news. The situation is very bad. I think our Dhaka Premier League (DPL) maybe is better than this (BPL) because they get time to prepare the team at least.

He added:

"They know what is happening in the team, so that they can prepare accordingly. If you see next year's DPL everyone knows who is playing for which team. We don't understand anything about BPL and it gets started after the match is played."

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"I would start everything from scratch" - Shakib Al Hasan on managing BPL himself

Shakib indirectly challenged the current organizers of the BPL that he would do a better job in terms of players' drafts, auctions, allocation of resources, availability of technology and better broadcasting deals domestically and globally.

On being asked whether he was made the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the league, the 35-year-old responded:

"If I am given the responsibility of BPL's CEO, I will not take a long time to make everything right. I think it will take one or two months, maximum two months but even that won't be required. Two months is a long time."

Shakib also made a reference to a famous Bollywood film, where Anil Kapoor played the role of the protagonist. Citing the example of the political-action drama, the all-rounder said:

"Have you seen the movie 'Nayak'? A lot of things can be done in a day. I would start everything from scratch. Have a new draft and auction. BPL will be held in free time and the modern technology will be made available. There will be a nice broadcast with home and away venues."

Chattogram Challengers will lock horns with the Sylhet Sixers in the BPL 2023 opener at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on January 6. Meanwhile, defending champions Comilla Victorians will play the Rangpur Raiders in the second match on the same day.