BANGLA RELAUNCHES CONTROVERSIAL BPL

Bangladesh plans to revive a lucrative Twenty20 tournament in November, two years after it was halted in the wake of match-fixing scandals, cricket officials said. The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), which started in 2012, was suspended indefinitely after the second edition amid revelations that former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful and four others were involved in fixing matches. The tournament, which drew talent from around the world, was also tainted by salary issues, including franchises failing to pay match fees to scores of players. But Bangladesh Cricket Board officials said the new tournament starting on November 24 would feature six new franchises, including in Dhaka and Chittagong, backed by big companies. “This time we have big companies buying franchises. So hopefully players’ payment won’t be an issue from now on,“ BPL secretary Ismail Haider said. “We are confident BPL will attract some of the best cricketers on earth.“