DHAKA, Dec 26, 2021 (BSS)- The players' draft of the eight edition of

Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 is set to be held tomorrow (Monday) at a
local hotel in the city.

   The players draft will start from 12 pm, the official of the Bangladesh
Cricket Board (BCB) said.

  The significance of this year's BPL is huge for the players and the BCB,
specially due to the Twenty20 World Cup which will be held in October next
year.

  The most glamorous cricket tournament of the country is set to start on
January 21 and the final is on February 18.

   Six teams will vie for the coveted trophy this year as BCB found six
franchisees which took the ownership of six divisions. Fortune Shoes Limited
had acquired the ownership of Barishal, Delta Sports Limited (Akhter Group)
owned Chattogram, Cumilla Legends Limited obtained Cumilla, Rupa Fabrics Ltd
and Marn Steel Ltd (Consortium) got Dhaka Division, Mind Tree Ltd took Khulna
and Pargoti Green Aturo Rice Mills Ltd bought the rights of Sylhet.

   A total of 34 matches will be held by double round robin league followed
by three play offs and a final in three venues-- Sher-e-Bangla National
Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram and
Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

  Earlier, the BCB had announced that the Champions Team will be awarded BDT
one crore while the runners-up will get BDT 50 lakh.

  For local players there six category types with the Category A players'
price fixed at BDT 70 lakh. For Category B, C, D, E and F the price fixed at
BDT, 35 lakh, 25 lakh, 18 lakh, 12 lakh, and five lakh respectively.

  For foreign players there were five categories with the Category A players'
price fixed at US$ 75, 000. For Category B, C, D and E the price is at US$
50,000, US$ 40,000, US$ 30,000 and US$ 20,000.

  A team can recruit one local player from any category as a direct signing
prior to the Players' Draft.

  A team will be entitled to register a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 14
local players. Except for the one direct signing, all other local players
must be obtained from the Player Draft.

  The number of registered Bangladeshi players for each team cannot exceed 14
at any point during the tournament.

  Each team can register a minimum of three and a maximum of eight overseas
players.

  A maximum of three foreign players can be registered outside of the Player
Draft as direct signings. Each team must include three overseas players in
its playing XI.

  BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said that no team has yet informed the BPL
authorities in writing which cricketer was taken before the draft.

  "I can't say the names at the moment. Because there is still time. Today we
will get a clear picture of our franchisees who have retained and will be in
the draft. We will send it to the participating teams," Chowdhury said here
today.

  "There are over 400 international cricketers. Cricketers from different
countries have registered through online. They have completed the
registration process through their agents and agencies," he added.

  In this BPL, 50 percent spectators of the stadium's capacity are likely to
be able to watch the game sitting on the field. The BCB had recently allowed
spectators to enter from the Pakistan series. The BPL, however, will be live
on two channels of the country.

  "The broadcasting rights of this year's event have already been given. The
2022 BPL will be telecast live on two channels. We have not yet made a final
decision about the spectators. But 50 percent fans of the capacity of the
stadium may be allowed like the Pakistan series. The BPL Governing Council
has not yet made a final decision."