¶¶Òõ¾«Æ·

Tamim Iqbal stated the Bangladesh Cricket Board should prioritise the development of cricket rather than hosting concerts if they want to deliver on their promise of a new-look Bangladesh Premier League.

The franchise-based cricket tournament starts today at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium with the opening game between Fortune Barishal and Durbar Rajshahi.

The Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, known as ‹the home of cricket,› has been given a new look ahead of the tournament with some renovations in the gallery and some wall paintings on display. 

BCB claimed that this edition of BPL would be unlike any other. However, Tamim, captain of the defending champions Fortune Barishal, was sceptical about the changes.

‘To be honest, I don’t see anything of that sort except the concert,’ said Tamim during a press conference on Sunday. 

‘I think if we have to organise a different BPL, then we have to invest in cricket. This is the most important factor. We should invest in the tournament, not in concerts or other things.

‘If we had invested in cricket and the tournament, then we can say that this is a new BPL,’ he added.

Tamim also reiterated that the players also have a role to play in this regard. 

‘See, how the cricket will pan out depends on how the players will play. This is not in the hands of the organisers’, said the former national captain. 

‘They can provide the best facilities and wickets; they can ensure the best commentators, the best camera angle, and the best technology. But they cannot decide whether it will be a 200-run game or a 60-run game. That responsibility is upon the players.

‘If they can do their jobs well and we can do our jobs well, then the tournament will be considered successful.’

The left-handed batter praised BCB’s initiative for hosting NCL T20. However, he also raised injury concerns due to back-to-back tournaments within a short time.

‘I think it was a good initiative, but we have to keep in mind that the domestic cricketers had been playing for two months. They had to play nine matches in 13 days. Now they will be playing in BPL after a three- or four-day gap. Now there will be injury concerns.’ 

Tamim also hoped that BCB would host the NCL T20 before the BPL draft. 

‘Then the franchise will understand what players they should pick from the draft.’