Bulbul questions timing of BPL amidst current situation
Former national team captain Aminul Islam Bulbul, currently serving as an ICC Development Manager, urged the BCB to "open their eyes" and stop copying other countries' plans.
The 11th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is set to kick off in December, with the player draft held last Monday.
After retaining players and making direct signings, the seven franchises completed their squads by picking players from the draft. However, former national team captain Aminul Islam Bulbul has raised concerns about holding the BPL in the current situation, following the recent change in government.
According to the first Test centurion of Bangladesh, instead of organising this T20 tournament, the current board should focus on the true development of cricket. Bulbul highlighted instances of corruption in the BPL and questioned what Bangladesh has truly gained from the past editions of the tournament. In a post on his personal Facebook account, he also offered suggestions to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on how to improve the sport.
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Although there has been talk of Bulbul joining the current board, he has yet to assume any role. The former batsman, who is currently working as an ICC Development Manager, wrote in his post, "Why BPL? BPL is not necessary for our cricket at this point; it's not a priority. Why do we keep copying and pasting other countries' plans?"
"We want cricket to develop, and we want to perform well both domestically and internationally. But what have we really achieved from the last 10 BPL editions? Where has the 1.06 billion takas gone (as reported by Jamuna TV)?" he further questioned.
Offering advice to the board, Bulbul wrote in the latter part of his post, "Please make first-class cricket more attractive, improve the overall quality of the game. Remember, a Test cricketer can play in all formats, but a T20 player can't prove their skills in other formats."
In addition to urging the board to "open their eyes," Bulbul advised them to stop copying and pasting other countries' plans, adding, "Open your eyes and look carefully. Many elements are missing from our cricket structure, yet we have enormous potential. It's time we create our own path instead of copying others. We need to strongly connect cricket to the grassroots – to villages, sub-districts, schools, and colleges. Not to Dhaliwood, Bollywood, or Hollywood. The roots of our cricket are here, where real talent is born."
