BPL 2022 will be played behind closed doors without spectators, confirms BCB

What comes as a major disappointment for cricket fans is that the BCB will not allow spectators in the upcoming edition of the BPL 2022 commencing from January 21. The tournament was pushed ahead to January 21 after a surge in the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

BCB has allowed fans into the stadium

The Bangladesh government-imposed restrictions on the movement of people on January 10 in order to restrict the spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19. Earlier after the resumption of cricket at home BCB has allowed fans into the stadium.

Spectators were allowed even in the recently ended home series against Pakistan.

But the BPL Governing Council Secretary Ismail Haider Mallick told the media on Saturday that they will not allow fans in the BPL 2022 as per the new directives of the government.

“There will be no fans allowed inside the stadium during the upcoming BPL. This is the directive given by the government and we are following it,” said Mallick. He added that they cannot have DRS in the tournament since they cannot bring technicians from abroad due to corona.

“We cannot use the DRS in BPL due to the Covid situation. Now they (technicians) can’t fly. Their two teams are now in two countries, they will not be able to come to Bangladesh in this situation from there,” said Mallick.

‘‘Hawk-Eye Company is the sole provider of DRS in the world. No one wants to come because of Omicron.

“There is nothing to discuss with the franchises about DRS. We did not get DRS and we will let them know. It’s true that the tournament might lose some of its appeal without DRS but there is nothing to do. We wanted full capacity of crowds in BPL. We also got permission from the government but everything changed because of Omicron”, added Mallick in his statement.

There will be no DRS in place for BPL 2022

A local umpire and a foreign umpire will officiate the games in the tournament & there will be no DRS in place for BPL 2022.

The eighth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League will include a total of six franchises. Chattogram Challengers, Comilla Victorians, Minister Group Dhaka, Fortune Barishal, Khulna Tigers, and Sylhet Sunrisers are among the teams that will compete. The event will be held at three venues: Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, and Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet.

The tournament will begin on January 21 with a match between Chattogram Challengers and Fortune Barishal. According to the BPL fixtures 2022, the league phase of the competition will end on February 12 with a match between Comilla Victorians and Khulna Tigers. There will be five phases to the league stage. The first, third, and fifth phases will all be held in Dhaka. Phase 2 will take place in Chattogram, while phase 4 will be held in Sylhet. The Playoffs will take place from February 14 to 16, with the final match taking place on February 18. Dhaka will host the entire knockout round of the BPL 2022.

The Complete Schedule of BPL 2022