The 2023 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) will be starting its ninth season on January 5. With 7 teams playing in 46 matches, the tournament will run until February 16.
The BPL is the top-level professional Twenty20 cricket league in Bangladesh, organized by the Bangladesh Cricket Board. For this season’s league, the BCB has announced some new rules. The new rules were made to help domestic players gain more experience and to promote cricket at the grassroots level.
The adjustments were also made with the expansion of Bangladeshi players in the game’s shortest format in mind. There are three new rules that teams have to follow. First, every team must have an overseas fast bowler who can bowl consistently over a speed of 140 kmph and must include at least one leg-spinner in their lineup. Lastly, the wrist spinners in the team have to complete their entire quota of 4 overs in the game.
According to reports, the new rules are meant to help budding local pace bowlers get advice from world-class bowlers who can share their experience and knowledge. In addition, this will guarantee that experienced overseas players will be able to spot and attempt to correct the young pacers’ technical errors.
Aside from these new team rules, there are new rules implemented for the team officials. The BCB has instructed all teams to employ coaches, physiotherapists, and trainers from outside the country. Additionally, domestic coaches and trainers, according to the BCB, can only work as assistants or under them.
For this season’s BPL, the Chattogram Challengers and Sylhet Strikers will be playing the league’s opening game at Mirpur. The Comilla Victorians will also feature as defending champions having defeated Fortune Barishal by one run in the final of the previous season.
Among the different teams playing in this year’s BPL, Shakib Al Hasan will continue playing for Fortune Barishal while Mustafizur Rahman will play for his old franchise, Comilla Victorians. Other teams in the tournament include the Dhaka Dominators, Khulna Tigers, Rangpur Riders, and Sylhet Strikers.
There are a few big names like Tamim Iqbal, Mashrafe Mortaza, and Nurul Hasan who will be playing for new teams, Khulna Tigers, Sylhet Strikers, and Rangpur Riders respectively. Some of the big names from International cricket will also be taking part in this league.
These include Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka and the Pakistani pacer Naseem Shah, who will be playing for Khulna Tigers. Pakistan players Shoaib Malik, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Nawaz have also been added to the Rangpur Riders roster.
This year’s BPL will take place across Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet with the final scheduled for February 16. The tournament will be played under a double robin round format where each team will play two matches against another team. Every team that wins a match will get two points, and if the match is abandoned, then the teams will share a point each. The four top teams will advance to the knockout stages.