Channel 9 counts down to Bangladesh Premier League cricket

A new cricket entity, the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), is to take shape on 19 January, when Channel 9 television cameras televise the player auctions live from the South Asian nation. Overseas broadcasting partners are yet to be announced, but not yet launched Channel 9 has the exclusive rights to broadcast the matches of the BPL twenty 20 (T20) tournament for its first 6 editions at the reported cost of US$24 million. The T20 league will comprise six divisional teams, each participating on a franchise basis – the auction for which will be held on 10 January at the Westin Dhaka. The minimum bidding for a franchise is set at $1 million, according to Bangladesh newspaper, The Daily Star. Sri Lankans Tillakaratne Dilshan and Farveez Mahroof, Pakistan's Sohail Tanvir, and the retired South African Andre Nel have recently added their names to a list of foreign cricket players available for the new tournament. The opening ceremony for the inaugural BPL T20 is scheduled for 9 February at the Sher-e-Banagla National Stadium in Mirpur.