Due to an increase in the Omicron version of Covid-19, the Bangladesh Cricket Board said on Saturday (January 15) that fans will not be allowed to attend the upcoming season of the Bangladesh Premier League, which will begin on January 21.
Bangladesh's government-imposed restrictions on January 10 to try to contain the virus's spread. After excluding fans from the recently finished home series against Pakistan, the BCB decided to allow them in when they resumed domestic and international cricket at home. However, according to government guidelines, BPL governing council secretary Ismail Haider Mallick told on Saturday that fans will not be allowed in the BPL.
"During the upcoming BPL, no fans will be allowed inside the stadium." This is the government's directive, and we're following it," Mallick added. He also stated that DRS would be unable to participate in the event due to the fact that they are unable to bring in technicians from outside the country due to corona.
"Due to the Covid problem, we are unable to employ the DRS in BPL." They (technicians) can no longer fly. Their two teams are now split between two countries, and they will not be able to travel to Bangladesh in this situation," Mallick said. "Hawk-Eye Company is the world's only DRS provider. Because of Omicron, no one wants to come.
"There is nothing to discuss DRS with the teams. We did not get DRS and will notify them. True, without DRS, the competition may lose part of its attraction, but there is nothing that can be done. We wanted the BPL to be at maximum capacity. We received official approval as well, but everything changed due to Omicron."
The games of the event will be officiated by a local and a foreign umpire.