Speaking to the media, Rana said the Qalandars would consider becoming part of the BPL if a suitable business opportunity emerged.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board has postponed the upcoming edition of the league while reviewing issues related to financial irregularities. BCB President Tamim Iqbal has also indicated on different occasions that foreign franchises meeting the league’s rules and eligibility requirements could be given an opportunity to participate.
Rana visited Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday to watch the Bangladesh-Zimbabwe match in the triangular series, where he spent considerable time with Tamim Iqbal.
Expressing his longstanding connection with Bangladesh cricket, Rana said Bangladesh was “very close to his heart” and that he had been looking for an opportunity to work with Bangladesh cricket in some capacity for a long time.
He said that if an appropriate opportunity arose in the future, Lahore Qalandars would seriously consider joining the BPL.
Rana also highlighted the strong passion for cricket in both Bangladesh and Pakistan, saying there could be opportunities for the two sides to work together to help the league overcome its current challenges. He added that the Qalandars would be interested in any approach that could benefit all stakeholders.
According to Rana, his discussions with Tamim Iqbal also covered franchise cricket experiences and ways to improve the league’s structure and operations.
“We have been associated with the Pakistan Super League for the past 11 years and have also participated in South Africa’s global league and various T10 competitions,” he said.
Rana added that Lahore Qalandars had also remained in contact with Cricket Canada, gaining valuable experience in franchise cricket management, development and improvement that could potentially benefit Bangladesh cricket as well.
He further revealed that Lahore Qalandars had recently signed an agreement with Guyana’s Ministry of Youth and Culture under which players from Guyana will travel to Pakistan for training.
He noted that eight Zimbabwean players had previously spent six weeks at the High Performance Centre in Islamabad.
“We want young Bangladeshi cricketers to also come to Pakistan, benefit from modern training facilities and allow both countries to learn from each other’s experiences,” Rana said.