The decision to postpone the inaugural Women’s Bangladesh Premier League (WBPL) from April to July has disappointed players, casting doubt on Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) commitment to women’s cricket.
BCB announced on Wednesday that the three-team WBPL T20 will now be held from July 10–21 across Bogura, Chattogram and Dhaka, instead of the original April 4–14 schedule. The board said the change was made in view of the global context and after consultations with potential franchise owners and stakeholders, allowing more time for squad formation, international player recruitment and operational planning. However, according to Women’s FTP, only Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Zimbabwe have no engagement during WBPL's newly scheduled timeframe.
The sudden shift -- coming days before the players’ draft scheduled for March 14 -- has frustrated players and officials. The postponement follows news that the Women’s Dhaka Premier Division and First Division Leagues will not take place due to clubs’ protests over the board’s legitimacy. Insiders also cite a lack of interest from credible franchise owners and instability within the board after the February 12 national polls.
The national team will feel the impact most, as the tournament could have offered valuable preparation for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales in June–July. While the team will play a home series against Sri Lanka and a tri-nation series in Scotland in the build-up to the mega event, other players will have to wait till July to play a domestic fixture, hampering their financial stability. The Tigresses are currently training at BKSP, playing intra-squad matches.
“Everyone is talking about how we had a good chance to play before the World Cup, opener Dilara Akter told The Daily Star on Thursday.
“We don't get to play T20 matches that often. It will definitely have some impact. Playing matches is important. We could have had a good opportunity here, but it didn't happen.”
A member of the national team’s coaching staff also expressed frustration, saying the team had missed a valuable opportunity to give the players adequate preparation before the global event.
Former captain Rumana Ahmed criticised the board for a lack of planning. “Such a league was necessary. It would have been excellent preparation for the World Cup and provided a competitive environment. The Dhaka Premier League was postponed to accommodate this tournament,” she said.
Rumana also highlighted the absence of a consistent domestic calendar. “Before the last ODI World Cup, the girls couldn’t play proper preparation matches. Even the First Division and Premier League have no fixed schedule. Women’s cricket remains in a state of uncertainty,” she said, questioning how the World Cup squad will be selected without proper domestic fixtures.
