Bangladesh's head coach Chandika Hathurusingha unleashed a whirlwind of critique against the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), likening the 2024 season, which is currently unfolding, to a high-flying circus act. In a candid revelation to ESPNcricinfo, Hathurusingha expressed his disillusionment with what he perceives as Bangladesh's lack of a genuine T20 cricket fiesta, sometimes even reaching for the remote to turn off the BPL spectacle on his TV.
"We (Bangladesh) don't have a proper T20 tournament. This sounds very odd. When I am watching the BPL, I sometimes turn off the TV. Some players are not even of the [required] class. I have a big issue with the current system," said Hathurusingha.
"The ICC need to step in. There has to be some regulations. A player is playing one tournament and then he is playing another tournament. It is like a circus. Players will talk about opportunities, but that's not right. People will lose interest. I have lost interest," he added.
BPL is nowhere close to IPL and PSL
The tournament, a staple in Bangladesh since 2012, according to him, has not soared to the heights or matched the grandeur of its counterparts, the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Hathurusingha's critique painted the BPL not as a cricket tournament but as a carnival, filled with more spectacle than substance, leading him to disengage from the tournament entirely. Despite its intent to dazzle, the BPL, in his eyes, falls short of capturing the essence of a competitive T20 league, turning off aficionados and purists alike.
BPL playoffs to kick on February 26
As the 2024 BPL prepares to roll out the red carpet for its playoffs on February 26, with teams like Fortune Barishal, Chattogram Challengers, Rangpur Riders, and Comilla Victorians ready to battle for supremacy, Hathurusingha's comments cast a long shadow. His words suggest a call to action for the BPL, urging it to reinvent itself from a mere circus into a spectacle of cricketing prowess that can captivate and thrill the global audience, much like the grandeur of a high-wire act but with the bat and ball.
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