Ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan lambasted the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) today for its mismanagement and failure to establish it as the proper T20 tournament.
“If I am given the responsibility of CEO, I won’t take long. It will take a maximum of one to two months to fix everything,” Shakib, the captain of BPL franchise Fortune Barishal, said here today in a programme in the city.
Shakib who is the brand ambassador of Gulf Oil, sat in the office as the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of the company for a day.
Shakib is also unwilling to compare the country’s only franchise T20 League BPL with Dhaka Premier League (DPL). According to him, DPL is way better organized than the BPL.
“DPL is a nicely organized tournament. Here clubs form the team long before the league. The teams know what their target is and they can prepare accordingly,” he added.
Shakib also feels BPL is a big failure from marketing point of view. Citing the popularity of cricket in the country, Shakib said, “Look at any remote part of the village… cricket is being played everywhere. It is not that there is no popularity. A game so popular in a country of 16-20 crore people and its market will not exist? It is very sad. I mean I don’t believe at least.”
Citing the example of the Bollywood movie Nayak starring Anil Kapoor, Shakib, said, “Haven’t you seen the movie Nayak?” A lot can be done in a day. Anyone who can do it, can do it.”
Anil Kapoor was made Chief Minister for a day in that movie. Anil Kapoor who played the role of Shivaji Rao rooted out the corruption in one day. If Shakib is also given the responsibility of CEO of BPL, then what will he do?
Fortune Barisal captain said simply, “There will be a draft again, auction will be held, BPL will be held in free time (for players), modern technology will be there. Broadcast will be fine. There will be home and away venues.”
There is no DRS in BPL from the beginning. DRS is supposed to be added from the play-off stage. Shakib sees the lack of willingness behind all this.
“BCB probably has Budget-crisis! If there is will, I see no reason to stop anything. Draft should be held three months ago, DRS should be there. A player will come one day, leave two days later. No one knows who will come and go. This is how BPL is going on.”
Shakib also said that the players who perform in the BPL aren’t evaluated in that way.
“I left the IPL out of the equation. When someone does well in the Big Bash, PSL or CPL it gives them a chance in the national team. BPL is not being seen that much outside of the country. So the foreign players who did well in BPL couldn’t be considered for selection in his country. But BPL is a competitive tournament, those who play well here deserve it.”
