Barisal Bulls ruled out of BPL after financial assurance failure

The 2017 edition of the Bangladesh Premier League will see seven franchises fight it out among themselves as the Barisal Bulls have been left out of the competition for failing to give financial assurance.

BPL Governing Council Chairman Afzalur Rahman Sinha said the fifth edition will not feature Barisal because they could not provide bank guarantee.

“In today’s meeting, we have decided to leave Barisal out. Because they have failed to give the money needed for franchise management,” he said on Wednesday.

Since settling an issue where the franchises repeatedly procrastinated in giving the players their due fees, the Bangladesh Cricket Board adopted the policy of keeping the bank guarantee as assurance.

Barisal had failed to show up with the money.

Sylhet are set to return under new ownership as Surma Sixers Sylhet, while Dhaka Dynamites, Comilla Victorians, Rangpur Riders, Chittagong Vikings, Khulna Titans and Rajshahi Kings have secured a spot each in the BPL, scheduled to begin on Nov 2 this year.

The BCB was keen on adding more teams and setting up more games for this edition, but the plan has been played out of the park with the exclusion of the Barisal Bulls.

With the arrival of a new franchise, the Governing Council had added another icon player – Mustafizur Rahman, who missed last edition due to shoulder surgery.

Barisal had included the young seamer after Mushfiqur Rahim left the franchise to join Rajshahi.

Sinha said Mustafizur would be in the player drafts on Sep 16, hence any team can rope him in.