Tag: BPL

DHAKA: Legendary Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has backed Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed to break his long-standing record for the fastest delivery in international cricket.

Akhtar recorded the fastest ball ever during the 2003 World Cup against England, clocking 161.3kmph.

The 50-year-old is currently in Bangladesh for his maiden stint as a mentor with Dhaka Capitals in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

“I’ve never been part of the BPL before, but I’ve heard that it’s doing great,” Akhtar remarked.

“Finally, I had the opportunity to come here and be a part of it. I want to pass on whatever I’ve learned, especially about fast bowling, motivate the players, give them a few tricks to win matches and elevate their mindset,” he continued.

Notably, Taskin will play for Dhaka Capitals as a direct signing, allowing Akhtar to mentor one of Bangladesh’s promising fast bowlers.

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“I want Taskin [Ahmed] to break my speed record,” Akhtar said.

He also hailed Nahid Raha, who is one of Bangladesh’s fastest bowlers.

“I have so far seen that in Taskin. And he is looking very good, he is looking sharp, he’s looking focused. And so is Nahid Rana,” Akhtar said.

“I think if he keeps on going along with a great training session and when it comes to training properly… I’ll give him an advice at the same time, if I ever see him. I’ll tell him the trades and secrets of training.

If he gets that, I think he will go far. But the most important is the attitude that you have towards life, and that reflects on the field,” he concluded.

For the unversed, the 12th edition of the BPL will commence on December 26, with Sylhet Titans taking on Rajshahi Warriors at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

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The next edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) may be rescheduled from its traditional December–January window to May 2026, setting up a potential clash with the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Indian Premier League (IPL).

The development comes in light of Bangladesh’s upcoming general elections, with BPL chairman Mahbub Anam confirming on Thursday that alternative windows are being considered.

“BPL slot may change due to the elections,” Mahbub said while speaking to local media.

“It could be held before December, or another slot is being planned. We will take the next steps depending on the government’s decision. In this regard, May is another option.”

The tentative move follows an emergency board meeting held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, a day after Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus directed authorities to complete all election preparations by the end of this year. General elections in Bangladesh are expected in early 2026.

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If finalised, the new BPL window would place the tournament directly in competition with the IPL 2026 and the 11th edition of the PSL.

The ICC T20 World Cup 2026, set to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February, has also played a role in shifting BPL’s potential schedule.

Mahbub Anam, who recently replaced Faruque Ahmed as BPL chairman, also acknowledged the need to elevate the league’s brand image and rectify past issues.

“BPL needs to set up its own standard. In the past, there were some mistakes, and the BCB has to take responsibility. We’ll try to increase the brand value of the BPL,” he stated.

He further revealed that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is actively exploring the possibility of expanding the tournament’s venue list beyond Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet.

“We will try to increase the number of venues. New ones will be added if they meet ICC standards and can offer proper accommodation for players,” Mahbub added.

READ: Hobart Hurricanes rope in Pakistan star player for GSL 2025

MIRPUR: Tamim Iqbal’s rapid fifty and Kyle Mayer’s 46 helps Fortune Barishal to successfully defend their BPL title as they defeat Chittagong Kings by three wickets in the last over.

Put into bat first, the Kings scored 194/3 in their allocated 20 overs courtesy of some late fireworks from Graham Clark.

Chittagong Kings were off to a good start when their openers Khawaja Nafey and Parvez Hossain Emon put on a 121-run partnership for the first wicket in 12.1 overs.

Nafey was caught behind on 66 after scoring his third fifty of the season while Pervaiz Hossain kept on scoring and helped his team in reaching a strong total.

Parvez Hossain added 70 runs for the second wicket along with Clark to give their team a solid total at the end of their 20 overs. Clark smashed three sixes and two fours in his 23-ball 44.

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Clark departed in the last over while Parvez Hossain remained the top scorer with his 49-ball 78, laced with four sixes and six fours.

Mohammad Ali was the pick of bowlers who took 1/21 in his four overs while Ebadot Hossain also bagged one wicket.

Chasing 195, opening batters Iqbal and Towhid Hridoy laid a strong foundation and amassed 76 runs for the first wicket in eight overs.

Iqbal departed for a well-made 54 which included nine fours. After his departure, Fortune Barishal stumble a bit as they lost two quick wickets in the span of three overs. Hridoy and Malan fall cheaply for 32 and one run respectively.

Following the back-to-back dismissals, Mayers took the reigns of Fortune Barishal’s run chase and put together a quick-fire 34(14) runs partnership with Mushfiqur Rahim.

Rahim perished in the 12th over for 16 while Mayers did his job and amassed 46 runs. He departed after scoring 46 runs in the 17th over. His innings included three sixes and three fours.

With 12 required from two overs, Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain chipped in with a 6-ball 18 cameo which steered Fortune Barishal to their consecutive BPL title.

The bright spot in Chittagong Kings bowling was Shoriful Islam whose 4/34 went in vain.

Bangladeshi stalwart Tamim Iqbal was named Player of the Match while Khulna Tigers Mehdi Hasan Miraz bagged the Player of the Tournament award for his all-round performance.

READ: Mohammad Rizwan justifies Faheem Ashraf’s selection over Aamir Jamal

MIRPUR: Dawid Malan struck a blistering half-century to steer Fortune Barishal to a thrilling last-over victory in their Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) clash against Khulna Tigers here at Shere Bangla National Stadium on Monday.

Fortune Barishal chased a total of 188 runs on the first ball of the 19th over courtesy of a combined batting effort led by Malan.

Malan lost his opening partner Towhid Hridoy (11) in the second over, however, he along with Tamim Iqbal added 91 runs for the second wicket to keep his team in the hunt.

Tamim Iqbal scored a cautious 27 off 25 while Malan dominated the partnership with his elegant strokeplay.

Dawid Malan fell prey to Afif Hossain in the 13th over after scoring an explosive 63 off 37 balls, featuring three sixes and eight fours.

After Malan’s dismissal, Bangladesh veterans Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah scored 24 runs each to keep Fortune Barishal in command.

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Faheem Ashraf and Muhammad Nabi finally sealed the match with a quick sixth-wicket stand of 36 runs from 16 balls. Ashraf scored 18 off 6 while Nabi’s 10-ball 15 (10) was enough to hand Khulna Tigers their 6th loss of the season.

For Khulna Tigers, Abu Hider managed two wickets, while Salman Irshad and Afif Hossain bagged one each.

Earlier, Khulna Tigers posted 187-5 in their allocated 20 overs after being invited to bat first. Their captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mohammad Naim added 47 runs for the first wicket, with the latter scoring his third half-century of the season.

The openers laid a solid foundation for the subsequent batters to capitalise and take the Khulna Tigers to an imposing total.

Afif Hossain played a 32-run knock from 27 balls, while wicket-keeper batter Mahidul Islam Ankon struck a quick-fire 27* of 12 balls which included three sixes and two fours.

Faheem Ashraf took two wickets for 49 runs while Mohammad Nabi bowled an economical spell, conceding only 22 runs for his solitary wicket.

This was Fortune Barishal’s fifth win on the trot as they stand in second place at the BPL points table with eight wins out of 10 matches. Meanwhile, Rangpur Rider are topping the charts with 16 points from 10 matches.

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MIRPUR: Right-arm pacer Taskin Ahmed returned with bowling figures of 7-19 to break the record of Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match here at Shere Bangla National Stadium on Thursday.

The 29-year-old pacer, who is playing for Durbar Rajshahi, took three wickets in the final over against Dhaka Capital to record the best bowling figures in the history of BPL.

His record spell restricted Dhaka Capital to 174-9 in the first innings. In response, Durbar Rajshahi successfully chased the target in 18.1 overs at the loss of three wickets, thanks to skipper Anamul Haque’s unbeaten 73.

Prior to Taskin Ahmed, the record for best bowling figures in BPL was held by Mohammad Amir. The Pakistan pacer recorded the figures of 6-17 while playing for the Khulna Tigers against Sylhet Royals, in the 2020 edition of the league.

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It’s worth noting that Taskin’s bowling figures are the third-best figures in T20 cricket across the globe.

The record for the best bowling figures in T20 cricket is currently held by Malaysia’s talented Syazrul Idrus. He astoundingly took 7 wickets after conceding only 8 runs in a T20I match against China in 2023.

Meanwhile, Netherlands’ Colin Ackermann is in second position with his figures of 7-18 while playing for Leicestershire in England’s Vitality Blast against the Birmingham Bears.

READ: Pakistan likely to make one change for second South Africa Test: reports

Pakistan’s batting prodigy Saim Ayub has been roped in by Dhaka Capitals for the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025 during the player draft on Monday.

The BPL 2025 Draft was held at a luxurious five-star hotel in Dhaka, where the teams finalised their squads for the upcoming edition. Bangladesh pace bowler Taskin Ahmed was the first pick, made by Durbar Rajshahi.

Other than Saim, a total of 14 players from Pakistan were picked during the BPL Draft, including Mohammad Hasnain, Usman Khan and Faheem Ashraf.

It’s worth noting that the 11th season of the BPL will be played from December 27 2024 across multiple venues in the country.

BPL 2025 Squads After Draft

Fortune Barishal

Direct Signings and Retained Players: Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan), Kyle Mayers (West Indies), David Malan (England), Faheem Ashraf (Pakistan), Mohammad Ali (Pakistan), Jahandad Khan (Pakistan)
Draft Selections: Mahmudullah Riyad, Tanvir Islam, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Ripon Mondol, Ebadot Hossain, Nayeem Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taijul Islam, Shahidul Islam, Ariful Islam, James Fuller (England), Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka), Nadre Burger (South Africa)

Sylhet Strikers

Direct Signings and Retained Players: Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Zakir Hasan, Jaker Ali Anik, Paul Stirling (Ireland), George Munsey (Scotland)
Draft Selections: Rony Talukdar, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Al-Amin Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Ruel Mia, Ariful Haque, Nihaduzzaman, Nahidul Islam, Rahkeem Cornwall (West Indies), Samiullah Shenwari (Afghanistan), Reece Topley (England)

Khulna Tigers

Direct Signings and Retained Players: Nasum Ahmed, Afif Hossain, Mehedi Hasan Miraz
Draft Selections: Hasan Mahmud, Naim Sheikh, Imrul Kayes, Mahidul Ankon, Abu Hider Rony, Ziaur Rahman, Mahfuzur Rahman Rabbi, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mohammad Hasnain (Pakistan), Oshane Thomas (West Indies), Lewis Gregory (England), Mohammad Nawaz (Pakistan)

Rangpur Riders

Direct Signings and Retained Players: Nurul Hasan Sohan, Sheikh Mehedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Khushdil Shah (Pakistan), Alex Hales (England), Iftikhar Ahmed (Pakistan), Allah Ghazanfar (Afghanistan), Saurabh Netravalkar (USA), Steven Ryan Taylor (USA)
Draft Selections: Nahid Rana, Saif Hassan, Soumya Sarkar, Rakibul Hasan, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Irfan Sukkur, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Taufiq Khan Tushar, Akif Javed (Pakistan), Curtis Campher (Ireland)

Dhaka Capitals

Direct Signings and Retained Players: Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Johnson Charles (West Indies), Stephen Eskinazi (England), Shahnawaz Dahani (Pakistan), Thisara Perera (Sri Lanka), Amir Hamza (Afghanistan)
Draft Selections: Litton Das, Habibur Rahman Sohan, Abu Jayed Rahi, Mukidul Islam Mugdha, Mushfik Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Munim Shahriar, Asif Hasan Mitul, Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Saim Ayub (Pakistan), Mir Hamza (Afghanistan)

Chittagong Kings

Direct Signings and Retained Players: Shakib Al Hasan, Shariful Islam (Direct signing), Moeen Ali (England), Usman Khan (Pakistan), Haider Ali (Pakistan), Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka), Mohammad Wasim Jr. (Pakistan), Binura Fernando (Sri Lanka)
Draft Selections: Shamim Hossain, Parvez Hossain Emon, Khaled Ahmed, Alis Al Islam, Mohammad Mithun, Naim Islam, Maruf Mridha, Rahatul Ferdous Javed, Sheikh Parvez Jibon, Marshall Ayub, Graham Clark (England), Thomas O’Connell (Australia)

Durbar Rajshahi

Direct Signings and Retained Players: Anamul Haque Bijoy, Zishan Alam
Draft Selections: Taskin Ahmed, Jisan Alam, Yasir Ali Rabbi, Sabbir Hossain, Sanjamul Islam, M Meherob Hossain, Akbar Ali, Hasan Murad, Shafiul Islam, Mohr Sheikh Antor, Saad Nasim (Pakistan), Lahiru Samarakkon (Sri Lanka)

READ: Saim Ayub, Kamran Ghulam lead Pakistan’s fightback after Leach’s early strikes

SYLHET: Pakistan’s veteran pacer Mohammad Amir has equalled Shahid Afridi’s record in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) as he became the joint third-fastest to take 50 wickets in the league’s history.

Amir, who is representing Sylhet Superstars in the ongoing edition of the BPL, achieved the landmark in the home side’s fixture against Khulna Tigers on Monday.

The left-arm pacer struck on the first delivery of his second over as he deceived Mahmudul Hasan Joy with a slower delivery.

With his first wicket of the ongoing 30th match of the BPL, Amir joined the elusive list of bowlers, who took fewer innings to take 50 wickets in Bangladesh’s marquee league.

Former West Indian bowler Kevon Cooper leads the list as he achieved the landmark in just 30 matches, followed by his compatriot Dwayne Bravo (34).

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s star all-rounder Afridi, who was at the third spot, has been joined by countrymate Amir after the latter took 50 wickets in 35 BPL matches.

It is worth mentioning here that Amir has thus far, bowled two overs in the ongoing match and took one wicket at the cost of 17 runs.

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CHITTAGONG: Pakistan batter Iftikhar Ahmed fired all cylinders to go berserk and hit a 45-ball century to power his Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) team Fortune Barishal to a dominating 67-run victory over Rangpur Riders.

Put into batters, Fortune Barishal endured an early setback as they slipped to just 46/4 in the sixth over.

However, Iftikhar, coming out to bat at number six, turned the game on its head with his belligerent hitting and stitched an unbeaten record partnership with skipper Shakib Al Hassan.

The duo put on a record 192-run partnership for the fifth wicket and powered their side to a mammoth 238/4. Their unbeaten stand was the highest fifth-wicket partnership in the T20 format.

Iftikhar was the core aggressor of the game-changing fifth wicket stand as he struck a quickfire 100 off just 45 balls, hitting six boundaries and nine sixes.

Shakib, on the other hand, was also impressive as he scored 89 not out off just 43 balls and smashed nine boundaries and six sixes.

Young pacer Hasan Mahmud led the bowling attack for the Riders with 2/31 while Haris Rauf also picked two wickets but was expensive as he leaked 42 runs.

Set to chase 239, the Riders could amass 171/9 in their quota of 20 overs despite a vital 44-run knock of Shamim Hossain.

The Riders kept losing wickets at regular intervals amid the pursuit and none of their batters could go big.

Shamim (44) and Mohammad Nawaz (34) put on a brief fight amid their 57-run partnership for the seventh wicket but it was not enough.

Mehidy Hasan Mirza was the pick of the bowlers for Barishal as he picked 3/26, while Mohammad Wasim and Kamrul Islam claimed two wickets each.

READ: Pakistan thump Zimbabwe to book U19 Women’s T20 WC Super Six berth 

CHITTAGONG: Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan added another feather to his cap as he completed 6000 runs in T20 cricket.

Rizwan, who is currently representing Comilla Victorians in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) struck a gritty half-century against Dhaka Dominators and played a vital role in his team’s triumph.

Following his anchoring 55-run knock, the right-handed batter amassed the 6000-run mark in T20 cricket.

Meanwhile, after Rizwan settled things down for the Victorians, Khushdil Shah launched an onslaught and struck a quickfire 64 off just 24 deliveries and powered his side to 184-4 in 20 overs.

Khushdil’s blitz featured seven boundaries and five sixes.

The 185-run target then turned out too much for the Dominators as they fell 33 runs short of the victory despite their skipper Nasir Hossain’s 66-run knock.

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CHITTAGONG: Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan reached here via helicopter mere hours after reaching Dhaka and was named in the Playing XI for Comilla Victorians against Fortune Barishal.

Rizwan, who was busy on national duty amid the three-match ODI series against New Zealand till Friday has reached here today to play his first Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2023 fixture for the Victorians.

The right-handed batter enjoyed a successful series with the bat as he accumulated 182 runs in three matches and remained the top-scorer.

His brilliance, however, could not fire Pakistan to seal the series as Glenn Phillips’ brisk 66-run knock led New Zealand to a historic ODI series victory.

According to the details, briefly, after the conclusion of the home ODI series, Rizwan immediately left for the airport from the stadium and took a flight to Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka.

The wicketkeeper batter was poised to represent the Victorians in the ongoing edition of the BPL and the side made a desperate effort to get back on the winning track after two successive defeats by boarding him in a helicopter.

According to Bangladeshi media, Rizwan’s flight landed in Dhaka at 10:20 am (BST) and he then boarded a helicopter which landed at Women’s Sports Complex ground beside the Zahur Ahmed Chowhdury Stadium in Chattogram at 12:45 pm (BST).

READ: New Zealand squad departs for India after concluding Pakistan tour