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Corruption-tainted Bangladesh Premier League to flag off in November with 6 teams

2012 champions Dhaka Gladiators

The third edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) will flag off on November 24 with six teams; one less than the previous edition, announced the league's governing council in a conference on Wednesday. The opening ceremony will be held two days before the tournament begins.

The trouble-hit league is being played after a gap of two years, with reigning champions Dhaka Gladiators even now charged with match-fixing. The league was stopped after Mohammad Ashraful and four other players were found guilty of fixing matches.

Chris Gayle, Shahid Afridi, Muttiah Muralitharan and Brad Hodge were among the star performers in the last edition of the BPL. The Australian batsman Brad Hodge, now 41 years old, is the best performer in the history of the BPL.

It remains to be seen if this year’s premier T20 league in Bangladesh attracts as many star names as it had before allegations of corruption struck,

Yet to decide on foreign quota: BPL committee

Despite no clarifications issued on the matter of the champion team, the organisers also said that subsequent editions of the event will have 10 teams. An other unsolved issue arises from the allegations that players were not paid their salaries in full.

"Akram Khan and Khaled Mahmud, our two directors, have been assigned to make a report about the player auction. The umpires committee will finalise the playing conditions. We are yet to take a decision about the quota of foreign players. Gradually everything will be finalised. We have chosen three venues -- Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna -- but ultimately we will decide on two," informed BPL governing council member secretary IH Mallick.

As the owners will spend about Tk 7 crore annually, the question was asked how the BCB would share revenue.

"They will not get anything from the BCB. There is no question of sharing revenue. They can earn from team sponsorships and other areas," said Mallick, adding that their aim is not to make a business.

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