Bangladesh Cricket Board Reaches Out to Indian Women Cricketers for Inaugural WBPL

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially announced its intention to welcome Indian women cricketers for the inaugural edition of the Women's Bangladesh Premier League (WBPL), scheduled to take place from April 4 to April 14. This move represents a significant development in women's cricket in the region and could potentially mend strained relations between the BCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Tournament Structure and Player Recruitment

The BCB, which had previously failed to launch the tournament despite multiple promises, earlier announced that it would finally stage the competition this season with three teams. On Wednesday, BCB officially set the ball rolling for the first-ever WBPL after holding its first coordination meeting at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Rubaba Dowla, chairperson of the BCB Women's Wing and the WBPL Governing Council, told reporters that they would be more than happy to have Indian women cricketers take part in the competition. While Indian men's national team players do not feature in overseas leagues apart from the Indian Premier League, the same does not apply to women cricketers, who also participate in the Big Bash and The Hundred.

Mending Relations with BCCI

Rubaba's announcement suggests that the BCB is keen to mend its relationship with the BCCI, which is believed to have deteriorated after Bangladesh opted out of the ongoing T20 World Cup citing security concerns.

"Several international players have already shown interest," Rubaba told reporters following the coordination meeting at Mirpur. "The teams will then contact the players and finalize recruitment. There are some well-known star players who have expressed interest."

When asked specifically about Indian players, Rubaba did not rule out the possibility of their participation. "We are open to all," she said about Indian players taking part in the tournament. "There is no country-specific restriction. Whoever shows interest, and whichever teams want to bring such players, they can do so. It is open to all, so we will see."

Tournament Logistics and Format

The WBPL chairperson said the tournament is likely to begin in Chattogram and conclude in Dhaka. She added that the BCB will follow the widely used IPL model regarding the limit on overseas players in the playing XI and confirmed that the WBPL will adopt a draft system instead of an auction for player selection.

"The draft process will be followed for player selection, and we will organize a proper event for it," she explained. "Each team must have a minimum of two overseas players, and possibly three to four."

Player Categories and Remuneration

It is understood that five categories have been created for local cricketers, with icon players set to receive BDT 10 lakh. 'A' category players will receive BDT 7 lakh, 'B' category BDT 5 lakh, 'C' category BDT 3 lakh, and those in the 'D' category BDT 1.5 lakh as remuneration.

Current Preparations

"All arrangements for the Women's BPL are currently underway. We are holding regular meetings. The Governing Council and the working committee are planning together how to execute the tournament in the best possible way," Rubaba added, emphasizing the board's commitment to making the inaugural tournament a success.

The move to include Indian women cricketers marks a strategic effort to enhance the tournament's profile and competitive standards, while also potentially rebuilding cricket relations between the two neighboring cricketing nations.