Bangladesh cricket board cancels BPL this year after major losses

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided not to hold the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) this year after suffering significant financial losses in the tournament’s previous two editions.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided not to hold the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) this year after suffering significant financial losses in the tournament’s previous two editions.

According to reports in the international media, the BCB has decided to suspend the current BPL format and use the additional time to develop a more sustainable structure for the popular domestic T20 competition.

BCB President Tamim Iqbal said the decision was taken after the board incurred losses of approximately Tk400 million over the last two editions of the tournament. Rather than rushing ahead with another edition featuring a limited number of teams, the board wants to focus on improving the league’s quality, credibility and financial sustainability.

Iqbal said the BPL will not be scrapped permanently. Instead, the board plans to relaunch the competition next year after making significant changes to its franchise system, financial arrangements and regulations.

One of the major issues identified by the BCB has been franchise compliance. According to the board president, repeated violations of tournament regulations and failure by franchises to fulfill their commitments have created serious challenges.

In some cases, franchise withdrawals or non-compliance reportedly left the BCB with financial responsibilities that contributed to the league’s losses. The board now wants to establish a more reliable system before bringing the competition back.

Iqbal said the BCB is prepared to spend six to 12 months working on the restructuring process. Discussions with potential and existing franchises have already begun, with the board reportedly targeting completion of the franchise process by April or May next year.

The decision means Bangladesh will have to create an alternative domestic cricket calendar for the period in which the BPL would normally be played. The BCB is expected to use domestic competitions to ensure that players continue to receive competitive cricket opportunities.

The board’s long-term objective is to make the BPL a more organized and financially sustainable tournament. Rather than accepting recurring losses, officials want the competition to generate revenue for Bangladesh cricket.

The temporary suspension could therefore mark a major turning point for the BPL. If the proposed reforms are successfully implemented, the tournament could return with a stronger franchise structure, clearer financial rules and greater accountability.

For now, however, the BCB has chosen restructuring over a rushed edition, making Bangladesh Premier League 2026 one of the most significant developments in the country’s domestic cricket calendar.