BPL’s glorious start, but a disappointing reality

When people talk about T20 cricket, most imagine a volley of fours and sixes, a festival of runs. On the first day of this year's Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), three out of the four innings in the two matches surpassed 190 runs. The promise of this season was distinct, and the start was definitely unusual for a domestic T20 league. But was it only the beginning? The tournament continues to present unusual scenarios, with a number of incidents that stand out. Unfortunately, most of these are not positive, but rather negative.

While the league once attracted many global stars, this year’s BPL stands out for its lack of big international names. There are few stars who would drive fans to flock to the stadium. The quality of both domestic and foreign players is questionable, and the teams are competing with average players, which is failing to capture the audience’s attention. Even though a certain number of spectators are still attending the matches, the hype that was built around the BPL is limited to paper and has not translated into reality.

While there has been some glamour outside the field surrounding this year’s BPL, the promise of a "new look BPL" that was made after the events of August 5 in Bangladesh seems nowhere to be seen! External glitz alone cannot make a tournament successful. What is truly needed is diversity in the on-field competition, and that is something we are not witnessing. Cricket fans in the country have been disappointed with the BPL in the past, and this year's series of events is only amplifying their frustration.

From the very beginning, the issue of player payments has consistently made headlines. Even during the ongoing tournament, this issue has been prominent. There was a case where local players of Durbar Rajshahi decided to skip practice due to a payment issue. The cheque they received bounced, leading the players to take a stand by not practicing. There is a sarcastic saying that goes, "Promises are made to be broken," and after the payment debacle at Durbar Rajshahi, that saying kept coming to mind. Before the BPL began, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president, Faruk Ahmed, had promised that there would be no discontent among players regarding their payments. Yet, the payment scandal involving Durbar Rajshahi has made that promise seem hollow.

This year’s BPL hasn’t just made headlines for payment issues but also for the daily allowance problem. Durbar Rajshahi's players had their daily allowances pending along with their salaries. After being overdue for 10 days, it’s even debatable whether it was appropriate to still call it a "daily allowance." These issues have certainly made this year’s BPL stand out, but in a negative way. While we may accept the payment issue to some extent, can we really accept the sequence of matches and the events surrounding them in this tournament? The question arises, and a quick glance at the statistics clarifies the concern. In 10 matches, there were 16 wide balls that went beyond the boundary! That's 16 occasions where 5 extra runs were given in just 10 games. Does this sound normal to you when you look at the first 26 matches?

Wide balls are part of cricket, and that can happen. But 16 wide balls going outside the boundary in just 10 matches is far from normal. Some of the leg-side wide balls even landed several yards off the pitch. Not only the wicketkeeper but also the fine-leg fielder couldn’t even reach the ball. These funny deliveries have fueled suspicions of spot-fixing, and those doubts continue to grow.

Just as foreign players have delivered wide balls beyond the boundary, local bowlers have also contributed to this trend. Fast bowlers, in their frustration, sometimes overcompensate by bowling harder, losing control in the process. In such cases, one might accept the occasional odd delivery. However, when it comes to spin bowlers, such bizarre deliveries are far from normal. This year’s BPL has shown, and continues to show, such unusual occurrences, further intensifying suspicions of spot-fixing in this franchise-based league. As a result, true cricket enthusiasts' disappointment with the tournament is growing gradually.

In addition to the wide balls, another suspicious element has emerged: overthrows. There have been instances where, unable to tempt a batter into playing a big shot with poor deliveries, players unnecessarily threw the ball towards the stumps. Even without a backup fielder in place, these throws went beyond the boundary, resulting in four runs from overthrows. Was this done to fulfill a certain target number of runs in a particular over? Who knows! The suspicion continues to linger.

Spot-fixing is often carried out using bowlers as the primary tool. A notable example was the 2010 Lord's Test between Pakistan and England, which was marred by spot-fixing. In that match, specific deliveries were deliberately bowled as "no-balls," a move that had been pre-arranged. Pakistani players accepted money from bookies for executing these predetermined no-balls. As a result, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif, and Salman Butt were banned from all forms of cricket for five years after their involvement was proven.

Over time, the nature of spot-fixing has evolved. It’s no longer just about bowling a specific no-ball or wide; the suspicion now extends to giving away a predetermined number of runs within an over. This kind of concern has been raised by this year’s BPL as well. There are players, whose careers are nearing the end, becoming involved in such odd occurrences. At certain points in the matches, some players with no future prospects in the game, or any hope of representing the national team, are engaging in strange performances. This only amplifies suspicions of spot-fixing, making the issue even more apparent.

When faced with strange events, all one can do is remain suspicious and view certain cricketers with a wary eye. After all, spot-fixing is not something that can easily be proven. Fans who still see cricket as a noble game, a game of glorious uncertainty, may feel frustrated and disheartened by what they’re witnessing. These are the same fans who hold the sport in high regard, but the recent developments may leave them feeling like they’re watching their beloved game fall from grace.

One of the most discussed figures in recent times in Bangladesh cricket has been Tamim Iqbal. He is part of the famous "Five Pandavas" of Bangladeshi cricket, and he has been a subject of discussion both on and off the field. However, this year’s BPL saw Tamim’s name come up for reasons other than his cricketing performances. He became the center of attention for his aggressive behavior. Tamim was involved in a dispute with his former national team mate Sabbir Rahman, along with two foreign players—Dawid Malan and Alex Hales. After one particular match, Tamim’s fiery outburst was seen as distasteful, and he came under criticism for his conduct, despite his experience in the game.

Additionally, the issue of government officials attending BPL matches and enjoying various perks became a topic of controversy. A high-ranking official from the local sports governing body was heavily criticized for their involvement in this matter. This issue gained significant attention during the Sylhet phase of the tournament, and later, there were promises made that the burden of covering the expenses related to attending these matches would be lifted from the BPL authorities.

The government has spent 30 crore taka to make the BPL successful and attractive. This money was allocated for venue renovations through the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Council. However, the BPL, despite the large financial investment, continues to generate one bizarre incident after another. It’s being suggested that spot-fixing has turned this tournament into a haven for bookies. Ironically, the interim government had announced "Youth Festival-2025" around the BPL, with grand plans to involve various sports disciplines in this celebration. Yet, there is a growing cry for funds to implement these plans, as there is a clear lack of financial resources.

The Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation is organizing a nationwide "Under-18 Boys and Girls Youth Kabaddi" competition, while the Bangladesh Football Federation is holding Under-15 competitions across various regions of the country. The Bangladesh Athletics Federation is organizing competitions in 8 divisions, with the final national competition to be held afterward. Other national sports federations are also planning their own events. These federations are seeking government financial assistance for their activities, but it’s unclear whether their requests have been met. Meanwhile, the financial resources allocated to cricket continue to grow exponentially, with substantial amounts of money being dedicated to the sport. This raises the question: Do sports administrators have any time or interest in looking after the other sports?

Mahbub Sarkar: Sports Journalist