BCB drops three companies from BPL franchise race

Having received expressions of interest (EOI) from eleven companies for Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) franchises for the next five years, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will move forward with eight, while three have been left out following the first stage of screening.

SQ Sports Enterprise (Chittagong Kings), Mindtree (Khulna Tigers), and BANGLAMARK (Noakhali) were disqualified for non-compliance in the EOI process due to missing paperwork, BPL governing council's member secretary Iftekhar Rahman Mithu informed the media yesterday.

Alongside Rangpur Riders, franchises representing Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Sylhet are ahead in the race for final selection, while discussions continue regarding Cumilla, Khulna, and Barishal. A Chittagong franchise also remains part of BCB's plans.

Chittagong Kings had obtained a High Court injunction, but BCB filed a civil petition and secured a stay order yesterday. "You know they defaulted, and due to their payment default, they were terminated," Mithu said.

Meanwhile, BCB will hold a board meeting today to discuss improvements to the Mirpur Academy Ground and possible inclusion of a new BPL venue. The meeting will also review the national team's performance, with cricket operations set to be a key discussion point for improving policies and processes.