MUMBAI: The Harish Thawani-run NEO Sports is headed east. The sportscaster has acquired the broadcasting rights of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 tournament. 

The third edition  of the tournament is set to kick start from 22 November 2015. The opening ceremony is slated to take place on 20 November with some fabulous performances by Bollywood's best. 

The tournament which began in 2012 and continued in 2013 was not held in 2014 on account of financial complications. The rights for the Indian subcontinent were earlier with Star Sports. 

But it was revived earlier this year and has attracted some good talent from cricketing nations the world over.

“It has been a good tournament over the past two season in terms of quality of cricket and players' participation and hence we acquired its telecast rights," says  Neo Sports EVP programming Mautik Tolia.

The broadcaster says it will consider acquiring further seasons after the current edition. And over the next few days it is going to be pushing the telecast to viewers. “We will use our network as well as other broadcasters to promote the tourney. Also what we have witnessed so far the league has been hugely popular among youth and we will be targeting them through digital media too” asserts Tolia. 

Elite Media Works' Nitin Anand  states, "We're delighted to team up with Neo Sports this year as our media partners in India. Top class T20 cricket in a carnival-like atmosphere has proved a hit with fans everywhere and we expect the 2015 tournament to be bigger and better than before."

The six team franchise tournament consists of Dhaka Dynamites, Chittagong Vikings, Barisal Bulls, Rangpur Riders, Sylhet Superstars and ComillaVictorians. The matches will be played at National Cricket Stadium and Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.