Nafisa Kamal Explained
Nafisa Kamal (born 1982) is a Bangladeshi businesswoman and cricket franchise owner. Kamal is an avid cricket patron and is the owner of the Comilla Victorians, one of the most successful cricket teams in Bangladesh.[1] [2] She is the first woman in Bangladeshi history to own a cricket franchise. [3]
Early life
When Kamal was a child, her father, Mustafa Kamal, took her to cricket matches regularly.[3] [4] He would take Kamal out of school to attend matches, traveling internationally for tournaments.[3]
Career
Nafisa Kamal is the first - and only - woman in Bangladesh to have ever operated a cricket team.[3] She first owned the Sylhet Royals. As of 2024, she is the owner of the Comilla Victorians ("Comilla").[5]
In 2017, Kamal said Comilla would build a stadium in Comilla.[6] The stadium has yet to be built.[3] [4]
Under Kamal's leadership, Comilla uses a revenue sharing model regarding player salaries, which is industry standard internationally in cricket, except in Bangladesh.[7] Sponsorship is the core source of revenue for the team.[8]
Kamal has expressed concerns over Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) tournament rules and procedures, including rematch rules and player contracts, especially over the signing of Mushfiqur Rahim.[3] [4] [8] [9] [10] In 2019, she said Comilla would leave the BPL, over issues of contract negotiations and finances.[5] She expressed anger towards the BPL excluding cricket franchises from participating in the League. Comilla's contract with BPL included revenue sharing, foreign player signings, and no auction. Kamal supports the abandonment of the franchise system.[7] [11]
Sexism and privilege in cricket
In a 2015 interview, Kamal shared that she has experienced discrimination given the fact her father is a notable person in cricket. "I think it's pretty impossible for me to make a name as an individual as I have to carry my father's legacy," she said.[3] Kamal also recognizes the social privilege she has being Mustafa Kamal's daughter in a sport that he has major influence in.[8]
Regarding sexism, Kamal has not experienced any, but she is despondent over being the only woman in leadership in cricket,[3] saying "[I] try to make the most of it but it's still a sad reality here - that being the only female cricket organiser in cricket so far, it's quite difficult."[8] She has expressed interest in working in Bangladesh women's cricket.[4] Kamal is an advocate for gender equality.[4]
Notes and References
- Web site: Bangladesh Premier League Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com. Cricinfo.
- Web site: Bangladesh Premier League Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com. Cricinfo.
- Web site: Uddin . Mazhar . 'Mashrafe is a great leader, obviously I wanted him at Comilla' . Dhaka Tribune . 17 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190412092234/https://www.dhakatribune.com/uncategorized/2015/12/08/mashrafe-is-a-great-leader-obviously-i-wanted-him-at-comilla . 12 April 2019 . 8 December 2015.
- News: Hasan . Mahmudul . I want to go to the top level of cricket: Nafisa Kamal . 17 January 2020 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20190504165024/https://www.ntvbd.com/sports/31394/%25E0%25A6%2595%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25B0%25E0%25A6%25BF%25E0%25A6%2595%25E0%25A7%2587%25E0%25A6%259F%25E0%25A7%2587%25E0%25A6%25B0-%25E0%25A6%25B6%25E0%25A7%2580%25E0%25A6%25B0%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25B7-%25E0%25A6%25AA%25E0%25A6%25B0%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25AF%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A7%259F%25E0%25A7%2587-%25E0%25A6%25AF%25E0%25A7%2587%25E0%25A6%25A4%25E0%25A7%2587-%25E0%25A6%259A%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%2587--%25E0%25A6%25A8%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%25AB%25E0%25A6%25BF%25E0%25A6%25B8%25E0%25A6%25BE-%25E0%25A6%2595%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%25AE%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%25B2/ . 4 May 2019 . bg.
- News: Victorians threaten to leave BPL . 17 January 2020 . New Age . 12 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200117193518/http://www.newagebd.net/article/82149/victorians-threaten-to-leave-bpl . 17 January 2020 . en.
- News: Nafisa Kamal promises to build a stadium in Comilla . 17 January 2020 . BDCricTime . 17 May 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190412092018/https://www.bdcrictime.com/very-soon-we-will-build-an-international-standard-stadium-in-comilla-says-nafisa-kamal/ . 12 April 2019.
- News: Comilla owner lashes out at BCB . 17 January 2020 . . 14 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200117192843/http://www.newagebd.net/article/84445/comilla-owner-lashes-out-at-bcb . 17 January 2020 . en.
- News: Azam . Atif . Revenue sharing should come into BPL - Nafisa Kamal . 17 January 2020 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20200112034840/https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/109513/revenue-sharing-should-come-into-bpl-nafisa-kamal-cricbuzzcom . 12 January 2020 . en.
- News: Azam . Atif . BCB should reconsider decision to scrap BPL - Comilla Victorians owner . 17 January 2020 . CricBuzz . 13 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190918053140/https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/109906/bcb-should-reconsider-decision-to-scrap-bpl-comilla-victorians-owner . 18 September 2019 . en.
- Web site: BPL is a loss-making project, says Nafisa Daily Sun . The Daily Sun . 17 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200117194901/https://www.daily-sun.com/amp/post/417196 . 17 January 2020.
- News: Comilla Victorians want to take part in Bangabandhu BPL this year, says Nafisa . 17 January 2020 . Dhaka Tribune . 13 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200117193725/https://bangla.dhakatribune.com/dynamics/mostlatestnews . 17 January 2020.
