All BPL players in A-plus category will be able to choose their own franchise

In a welcome move, all A-plus category players, including local talent, participating in the 2017 edition of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) have been trusted with the power to choose the franchises they will play for in the upcoming season. This came as a solution to the raging speculation among many cricketers wondering which team would they play for in the upcoming tournament. The 5th season of the BPL is tentatively scheduled to begin on November 4, 2017.

According to the regulations issued by the BPL governing council, the seven participating teams have been asked to submit the list of players they want to retain by the coming week, building towards the draft on September 16. The 2017 season may also see the introduction of an eighth franchise, probably revolving around Sylhet. Also, a decision will have to be taken on allowing five foreign players in the playing XI or containing it at four.

A-plus players can choose their own teams in BPL

The league’s secretary Ismail Haider Mallick said in an announcement, “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. 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.”

While Khulna Titans have already confirmed the retention of Mahmudullah, who is the captain of the franchise as well as an A-plus category player, the other teams are yet to take such decisions.

According to ESPNCricInfo, decision is also to be passed on the topic of whether to allow teams to utilise five overseas players (as done in 2012 and 2013 tournaments) or to keep it at the limit of four players as followed in the 2014 and 2015 editions. “If it will be four or five [overseas players in the playing XI], we will ask the opinion of the franchises,” Mallick said. “Then we will decide on it.”