The 11th season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is all set to kick off on Monday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, making it a new era for the tournament following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government and making it the first BPL since a groundbreaking political shift in the country.
In the opening match of the season, defending champions Fortune Barishal will take on newcomer Durbar Rajshahi. In this match, Barishal will have to carry the weight of expectation and the legacy of their maiden title triumph last season.
“On paper, you could definitely put us among the top two teams,” Tamim Iqbal, the Barishal captain said, mentioning the balance they have. “We’ve tried to address every weakness and have assembled a very competitive squad.”
He appeared at a pre-event press conference on Sunday in Mirpur.
“Mugdho Corners” to provide free water at BPL matches
In the challenge of defending the title, Tamim has national team stars like Mushfiqur Rahim, and Mahmudullah Riyad, alongside young players like Towhid Hridoy, and Ariful Islam. They also have Najmul Hossain Shanto in the mix.
In the bowling department, Ebadot Hossain and Rishad Hossain are the main strengths of Barishal. They also secured the services of Pakistan star Shaheen Afridi, and Afghanistan star Mohammad Nabi alongside Kyle Mayers, Dawid Malan and Pathum Nissanka.
Despite having a strong team, Barishal captain Tamim believes that they will have to face a tough challenger after the initial rounds of matches when some of the players will leave for other T20 events around the globe like ILT20, SA20 and Big Bash.
“The real test will be after seven or eight matches,” he pointed out. “That's when the ability to effectively fill those gaps will determine which teams are genuine contenders.”
The changed political landscape has also contributed to shaping this year’s BPL, as the record four-time BPL winner Comilla Victorians are missing this time. The franchise is owned by former finance minister and Awami League leader AHM Mustafa Kamal. He has been missing since the mass uprising in August.
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The political shift has also cast a shadow over the participation of veteran players Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Mortaza, both associated with the previous ruling party.
Chittagong Kings, who are making a comeback in BPL, drafted Shakib for this season. But the participation of the star allrounder remained doubtful for his political affiliation. He attempted to play his last Test in October at home, but students protested against his homecoming.
Mashrafe, who is a two-time member of the parliament for the Awami League, has been absent from public view since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster. He was signed by his old team Sylhet Strikers, but his participation is also uncertain.
Beyond the political implications, Tamim has been vocal about the need for a shift in the BPL's priorities. He criticized the emphasis on concerts and promotional events, arguing for a more cricket-centric approach.
“Honestly, I haven't seen anything different apart from the concerts,” Tamim said. “If we truly want a different BPL, we need to invest in the cricket itself. That's where the real change will happen, not in the entertainment surrounding it.”
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The former Bangladesh captain said that a successful tournament is the responsibility of both players and organizers. He also added that players’ performance is crucial, and providing them with the best facilities is equally important.
Along with Durbar Rajshahi, the Dhaka Capitals are the new team in this year's BPL.
Both the teams heavily invested in the young local players, including the members of Bangladesh’s Under-19 Asia Cup-winning squad, which is injecting further excitement into the tournament and offering a glimpse into the future of Bangladesh cricket.
The BCB started selling tickets for BPL on Sunday, with the fans being able to buy tickets from both online and offline facilities. But it met with criticism when hundreds of fans were involved in chaos in front of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Sunday for tickets as they had no information where the tickets would be available until the afternoon.
In this seven-team event, the fans will get free water drinking facilities at every venue across Dhaka, Sylhet and Chattogram. The organizers will install water drinking points called “Mugdho Corners” remembering Mir Mugdho, a protester who was martyred during the uprising, while distributing water bottles among his protesting peers.