Bijbehara Premier League 2025 set to begin today

Srinagar, Jul 29: Like several other local tournaments currently underway across Kashmir, the Bijbehara Premier League (BPL) 2025 is all set to commence from today, promising another action-packed days of cricket featuring some of the region’s top talents.

This year, the tournament organised by the Bijbehara Cricket Association in collaboration with the J&K Sports Council, as per the organisers, will feature 12 participating teams.

Prominent J&K cricketer Parvez Rasool, who featured on the international stage while representing India, while speaking to Greater Kashmir about this year’s league, said that the competition was trimmed from its earlier 20-team format to ensure higher competitiveness and better player management.

“We have reduced the number of teams to ensure that quality cricket is played. Earlier, with 20 teams, many lineups lacked depth. Now, every team is packed with serious contenders,” Rasool said.

 Tournament Format and Participation

As per the organisers, the BPL will be played in a T20 league format, not on a knockout basis. Divided into two pools, each team will play five matches in the league stage. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the quarter-finals, then semi-finals and final.

Rasool said a total of 37 matches were scheduled across 20 to 25 days, with two matches scheduled on a daily basis. He said that they have ensured participation from J&K players, with a maximum of three outstation players allowed per team. A majority of the registered players were from Jammu and Kashmir.

“This year, we have limited outstation players to keep the local flavour alive while maintaining a competitive edge,” Rasool said.

 Prizes and Recognition

The tournament promises attractive incentives. Rasool said that the ‘Man of the Series’ last year was awarded a bike as part of the top honours and that the organisers, as compared to the previous year, were planning enhanced prize distribution, including cash prizes.

 Star Watch and Future Outlook

Rasool, however, did not confirm the participation of any franchise league stars for the current league. He, however, said that past editions have seen participation from players like Abhishek Sharma and Iqbal Abdullah, which boosted the tournament’s profile.

“This platform helps local talent rise and push their limits. We aim to offer them a taste of competitive structure and public recognition,” Rasool said.