Image: Players are boycotting the BPL for unpaid salaries by some franchises / © Cricbuzz
The ongoing BPL (Bangladesh Premier League) is currently grappling with significant issues regarding delayed player payments, drawing widespread criticism. Several franchises, including Durbar Rajshahi and Chittagong Kings, have failed to pay their players on time, causing frustration among the players. On January 26, foreign players from Durbar Rajshahi even boycotted a match in protest. Dawid Malan, who plays for Fortune Barishal, voiced his concerns about the non-payment of salaries and criticized the franchises for their failure to meet basic contractual obligations.
Malan, who had just scored a half-century in a win against Khulna Tigers, emphasized that players should focus on their performance while the franchise owners are responsible for ensuring timely payment. He bluntly stated:
Wherever you play, you want the basics to be done right. Our job is to play cricket, and someone else’s job is to ensure we’re paid. If you have money, take a team. If you don’t, then don’t—it’s as simple as that. These issues shouldn’t happen, and it’s something that can be easily controlled.
While Malan expressed no such issues with his own team, Khulna Tigers’ William Bosisto echoed similar sentiments, noting that player contracts should be honoured by the team owners. The payment crisis has sparked calls for immediate action from BPL officials to protect the tournament’s reputation.