Finally, the grand finale of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is about to reach its climax, with the defending champions Fortune Barishal and Chittagong Kings set to lock horns at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday evening. The final match is always a stage to showcase the best cricketing prowess, and all the players of both teams are set to make their mark. Tamim Iqbal to be accorded formal farewell by BCB during BPL final Whether you are at the gallery of the Sher-e-Bangla, in the comfort of your living room with your eyes glued to the TV screen, or if you are on the go with your tiny mobile screen in your hands, keep your eyes on these four players who can make the final special for their respective teams. Tamim Iqbal: Tamim Iqbal led Barishal to their maiden title last year, and this year, too, he is at the helm and led the team to the final. They now stand just one victory away from back-to-back championships. Tamim’s leadership and impact as a batter have been the guiding light for Barishal throughout the event. En route to the final, Tamim scored more than 350 runs in this edition of the BPL, the most by a Barishal batter this season. If he can continue as their best batter in the final, Barishal can enjoy their second title. Chittagong Kings edge out Khulna to reach BPL final in a nail-biting finish Shamim Hossain: Shamim Hossain played a superb knock of 79 runs in just 47 balls in two matches before the final. He has a name for being a good batter in the crunch moment, and he can score runs quickly, unlike many others. Shamim’s good show can write the fate in favour of the Chittagong Kings in the final. He scored 350 runs in this season of BPL—the most by a local player of the Kings. Towhid Hridoy: Despite having shown promise at the national level in limited-overs cricket, Towhid Hridoy has had a relatively quiet BPL season so far. In the 13 matches he played, he just scored one fifty— far less than what is expected of him. But Hridoy can turn the tide at any moment, and that is why the Barishal fans can keep their eyes on him in the final. A good innings from Hridoy can guide Barishal home. Chittagong Kings need 164 to book a place in BPL final  Khaled Ahmed: Right-arm pacer Khaled Ahmed bagged 20 wickets in 13 matches—the most by a local bowler after Taskin Ahmed. He is the most-wicket taker for his team, and in the final, he can be the x-factor for the Kings on the low and slow wicket of Mirpur. An impactful spell, especially early in the innings or in the crucial death overs, could give the Kings a decisive edge and help them achieve their elusive BPL title.//

Graham Clark’s century propelled Chittagong Kings to a 45-run win over Khulna Tigers in the Bangladesh Premier League at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Thursday. It was Chittagong’s fourth win in five matches. They are now in second place on the points table with eight points. Rangpur Riders are leading the table with 14 points in seven wins. Rangpur extend unbeaten run with win over Khulna Chittagong posted 200 for 7 while batting first. Clark’s explosive 101 off just 50 balls guided them to a challenging total. His knock, featuring seven boundaries and six towering sixes, set the tone for the home side. Parvez Hossain Emon scored 39 off 29 deliveries, but the middle order failed as Mohammad Nawaz and Salman Irshad each claimed three wickets to keep Chittagong in check. Chasing 201, Khulna crumbled under the pressure, losing wickets regularly. Darwish Rasooli top-scored with 37 off 31 balls, while skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz scored 19 off 8 balls.However, Khulna’s momentum was repeatedly disrupted by Chittagong’s disciplined bowling unit. Arafat Sunny bagged three for 25. Khaled Ahmed and Shorfiul Islam took two wickets each. Khulna ended up on 155 for nine. In the other match of the day, Fortune Barishal beat Dhaka Capitals by eight wickets. Dhaka batted first and scored 139, with Tanzid Hasan Tamim scoring 62 off 44 balls. Tanvir Islam took three wickets for Barishal. Zakir, Rony shine as Sylhet edge past Khulna for second win In reply, Tamim Iqbal hit a fifty, and Dawid Malan scored 49 to guide Barishal to an easy win by eight wickets with 24 balls to play. Barishal are now in third place on the points table with four wins. Dhaka are at the bottom of the table with seven defeats in eight matches.

Sabbir Rahman hits an unbeaten 82 off 33 balls with nine sixes, but his 50 went in vain as Dhaka Capitals suffered a seven-wicket defeat to Chittagong Kings in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match on Thursday in Sylhet. Dhaka’s innings was powered by Sabbir’s 82 not out. Along with nine sixes, he hit three fours. Despite a slow start, Sabbir’s innings kept them strong in the contest. But the other batters failed to accelerate when they needed it most. Tanzid Hasan also hit a 50. He ended up on 54 off 48 balls. Nurul’s last-ball six seals a high-scoring thriller for Riders vs Barishal Khaled Ahmed was the best bowler for the Kings. He bagged three wickets for just 21 runs. In response, Chittagong began strongly. Usman Khan smashed 55 off 33 balls, supported by Parvez Hossain Emon, who made 17 off 16. The pair added 55 runs for the opening wicket before Emon fell in the sixth over. Graham Clark then joined Usman, contributing 39 off 32 to keep the chase on track. After Clark’s dismissal in the 17th over, captain Mohammad Mithun and Shamim Hossain guided the Kings to victory. Mithun remained unbeaten on 33 off 22, while Shamim struck a quick 30 off 14 balls, including four fours and a six. Tamim reaches 8000 runs as first Bangladeshi With this win, the Kings moved to fourth place on the points table while Dhaka remained winless after matches, sitting at the bottom of the points table with zero points and a negative net run rate of -1.527. The Kings maintained their positive net run rate of 1.262. Rangpur Riders, with six consecutive victories, lead the table with 12 points and an impressive net run rate of 1.732. Fortune Barishal, despite their loss to Rangpur earlier in the day, hold the second spot with six points from five games and a net run rate of 0.838.

Alex Hales hit a century in the first match of the Sylhet phase of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) as the Rangpur Riders beat the Sylhet Strikers by eight wickets on Monday. Sylhet batted first after losing the toss and posted 205 for four. Rony Talukdar and Zakir Hasan scored fifties for them, while a quickfire innings from Jaker Ali and Aaron Jones gave them a strong total to defend. Sylhet post big total against Rangpur in home ground Sylhet managed 74 runs in the last five overs, with Jones and Jaker hitting four sixes in the final over, bowled by Akif Javed. Mohammad Saifuddin was the most effective bowler for the Riders, picking up two wickets for 31 runs in his four overs. In reply, the Riders lost their opener, Azizul Hakim, for a duck. But Alex Hales and Saif Hassan were the mainstays for them to chase a big total. Alex hit a ton—113 off 56 with 10 fours and seven sixes, while Saif scored 80 off 49 balls with three fours and seven sixes.Their batting approach kept the asking rate under control throughout the chase. Saif fell in the 18th over, but the Riders were already within touching distance of the target. BPL: Mehidy shines as Khulna Tigers beat Dhaka Capital by 20 runs Riders completed the chase in 19 overs, finishing on 210 for two. Alex Hales was named Player of the Match for his match-winning century. It was the Riders’ fourth win in as many matches, while it was the second defeat in two matches.

Sylhet Strikers' local players shone in front of their home crowd as the Sylhet phase of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) began on Monday. Riding on home boys — Zakir Hasan’s (50) and Jaker Ali’s (20 off 5) batting, and half-century from Rony Talukdier and a quickfire 38 from Aaron Jones, Sylhet posted 205 for four. BPL: Mehidy shines as Khulna Tigers beat Dhaka Capital by 20 runs Former champions Rangpur Riders won the toss and chose to field. Sylhet’s openers gave them a strong start, adding 47 runs in five overs before George Munsey fell for 18. Rony Talukdar kept the momentum, smashing 54 off 32 balls with seven fours and three sixes. Zakir Hasan, batting at number three, contributed 50 off 38 deliveries, including four sixes. BPL: Usman Khan’s ton power Chittagong Kings' big win over Durbar Rajshahi In the final five overs, Sylhet added 74 runs, with Aaron Jones and Jaker Ali finishing strong. They struck four sixes in the last over, bowled by Akif Javed. For the Riders, Mohammad Saifuddin was the pick of the bowlers, claiming two wickets.

In Khulna’s Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, echoes of the last international cricket match have faded, leaving local sports fans yearning. Despite its revered status as a Test venue and a host of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium stands ensnared in neglect. Read: FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Bangladesh to play much stronger Australia in Melbourne on Thursday  The once-vibrant stadium has steadily deteriorated. With approximately 10,000 gallery seats, over half are now in ruins due to negligence. The media box, electronic scoreboard, pavilion building, and side screen are all nearly non-functional. While a domestic league took place last year, this year, the stadium remained dormant with Mustafizur Rahman Russell, the venue in-charge, emphasizing routine maintenance efforts such as mowing the field, planting grass, and maintaining the pitch. Khulna's significant contribution to the Bangladesh national cricket team, boasting cricketers like Habibul Bashar, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Shakib Al Hasan, and others from the Khulna Division, only highlights the glaring absence of international matches at the home ground of these stars. Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, situated in Muzgunni area next to Khulna-Jashore road, was inaugurated in 2004. The stadium's official journey began with several ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup matches held that year. Starting with a capacity of 15,000 spectators in 2004, it was expanded to 20,000 in 2012. The last Test match was played in 2015 against Pakistan. Read: ICC World Cup 2023 Semifinal: Preview of South Africa vs Australia ODI  The stadium, once referred to as the "Lucky Venue" for hosting victorious matches, witnessed its last international cricket in 2016. Damaged in the cyclone of April 5, 2016, the stadium has seen no renovation in the seven years since, exacerbating its decline. Mahian Shikder Arin, a 10th-grader, expressed the disappointment of a generation who, having attended a match in 2016, now longs to witness international cricket at the stadium. Mahbubur Rahman Sifat, former captain of Khulna's under-18 cricket team, highlighted the absence of international matches since 2016 impacting the local cricket scene and its players' contributions to the national team. Nazmus Sadat Sumon, president of Khulna's cricket organization Kapilmuni Krira Shikkha Prothishthan, expressed concerns over the waning interest in cricket due to the prolonged absence of international matches at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium. Mustafizur Rahman Russell, the venue in-charge, acknowledged the gradual deterioration of media centers due to non-use. He assured that fieldwork would commence soon, with project engineers preparing a budget. While the tender process is underway, the restoration remains a work in progress. Read: ICC World Cup 2023: Kohli hits record-shattering 50th ODI century surpassing Tendulkar SM Mortaza Rashidi Dara, general secretary of Khulna Divisional Sports Association, acknowledged the stadium's current status and emphasized its use for various matches despite the absence of international games. Tenders for gallery renovation are pending approval, delayed by the pandemic and other factors. Advocate Md. Babul Howladar, member secretary of Khulna Citizen Society, called attention to the neglect of Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, a ground that produced many star cricketers. He urged immediate renovation and the resumption of international matches to revive Khulna's cricketing spirit.  Several cricket enthusiasts also advocated for hosting the BPL in Khulna, citing the city's newly established hotels. With the recent inauguration of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, the travel time to Khulna has significantly decreased to only 3 to 3.5 hours from the capital city of Dhaka. This improvement offers fans a more convenient and efficient journey to Khulna for the BPL matches.    

Sylhet Strikers won the first match of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) beating Chattogram Challengers by eight wickets on Friday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. The match was scheduled to take place at 2:30 pm, but it kicked off a half hour earlier - a further testament to the subpar management of the BPL. Sylhet won the toss and sent Chattogrma to bat first.  Chattogram had a disappointing start as Mehedi Maruf was run out for 11 in the 3rd over and Darwish Rasooli, their Afghan recruit, was out for a mere 3 runs in the 4th. Their hopes of a major score were pinned on Al-Amin, but he too fell for just 18 runs. Skipper Shuvagata Hom's single run only added to their woes, further worsening the situation. But, Afif Hossain got the innings back on track with 25 runs off 23 balls with 3 fours. Unmukt Chand couldn't make a big score as he was out for 5 runs. Mrittunjoy Chowdhury added 3 runs while Nihaduzzaman scored 8 runs before getting out. Malinda Pushpakumara and Mehedi Hasan Rana remained unbeaten and added 6 and 2 runs respectively. At the end of 20 overs, Chattogram Challengers made 89 runs for the loss of 9 wickets. For Sylhet, Rejaur Rahman Raja bagged four wickets conceding only 14 runs in four overs.  Also Read: Asia Cup Cricket: Bangladesh grouped with Sri Lanka, Afghanistan In reply, Sylhet Strikers had to do better on a difficult Mirpur surface to take the lead. They started well, with Najmul Hossain Shanto making 43 runs off 41 balls. Colin Ackermann was out for 1 run but Zakir Hasan made a quick 27 runs off 21 balls to set up a winning total. Mushfiqur Rahim remained not out on 6 runs as Sylhet Strikers achieved their target in 12.3 overs.  Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, the former Bangladesh captain, made a return to competitive cricket after an eight-month hiatus, captaining the Sylhet Strikers in this edition of the BPL.       

Dhaka Mohammedan moved to the fifth spot in the 12-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football table after hammering Uttar Baridhara Club 3-0 at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium in Cumilla Friday. Mohammedan went ahead in the match in the stoppage time of the first half (48th minute) as Uttar Baridhara's Ivory Coast defender Youssouf scored an own goal (1-0). Malian striker Souleymane Diabate scored the second goal for the Black and Whites in the 70th minute (2-0). Nigerian left winger Ugochukwu Obi Moneka sealed the fate of the match after scoring the third goal for Mohammedan in the stoppage time of the match (92nd minute). With the victory, the Black and Whites secured the fifth spot in the table with 29 points from 19 matches. Uttar Baridhara remained at the 10th slot with 13 points from 19 matches. The Kings collected 49 points in 19 matches, and they need just one win in their remaining three matches against Saif SC on July 18, Dhaka Abahani on July 24 and Sheikh Jamal on July 30 to lift the title for the third time in a row. Read:BPL Football: Dhaka Abahani thrash Swadhinata 4-1 Six-time champions Dhaka Abahani secured 41 points from 19 matches, seven points behind league leader Kings. In the day's other match, Bangladesh Police dropped a point as their encounter with Rahmatganj ended in a goalless draw at the Muktijoddha Smriti Stadium in Rajshahi. Police slipped to the sixth spot after collecting 29 points; Old Dhaka's Rahmatganj remained in ninth place with 15 points. In the other match, Muktijoddha Sangsad snatched an important point from Sheikh Russel in a goalless affair at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj. Sheikh Russel remained in the 8th slot with 22 points from 19 matches. Muktijoddha remained at the 11th slot after securing 12 points from 19 matches. Swadhinata remained rooted at the bottom of the points table with nine points from 19 matches.

Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) champions Bashundhara Kings will start their Group D campaign of the AFC Cup Football' 2022 taking on Maziya Sports & Recreation Club of the Maldives on Wednesday. The match will kick-off at 9 pm (local time) at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) in Kolkata. Also read:Bashundhara Kings reach Kolkata to compete in AFC Cup Earlier, two Indian contenders,  ATK Mohun Bagan FC:of Kolkata  will face Gokulam Kerala FC  in the opening Group D match of the AFC Cup at 5 pm local time at the same venue. Last two times BPL champions Bashundhara Kings, which reached Kolkata last Saturday (May 14), to play the group matches of the AFC Cup, will face ATK Mohun Bagan on May 21 and Gokulam Kerala FC on May 24 in their remaining Group D matches. ATK Mohun Bagan of Kolkata qualified for the group stage of the AFC Cup eliminating Dhaka Abahani Limited by 3-1 goal in a play-off match in Kolkata on April 19 last.. A total of 38 leading club teams of Asia, split into 10 groups, will battle for the coveted club crown eyeing on the final on October 22 next. Also read: AFC Cup: Williams guides Mohun Bagan to group stage eliminating Abahani Asia Cup Football, which was introduced in 2004, also offered a substantial prize money this time with the champion team getting USD 1.5 million and the runners-up will get USD 750,000.in addition to prestigious continental trophy.

The 2nd phase of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football, the country's most prestigious soccer league, begins on Sunday in Rajshahi and Gopalganj. In the 2nd phase opener, newcomers Swadhinata KS will play defending champions Bashundhara Kings at 3:30 pm at Muktijoddha Smriti Stadium in Rajshahi. Also read: BPL Football: Sk Russel beat Swadhinata KS 2-1 In the day's other match, Sheikh Jamal DC will play Uttar Baridhara Club, also at 3:30 pm at Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj. On the following day (Monday), four matches will be held in Dhaka and other regional venues. Six times champions Dhaka Abahani Limited will meet Muktijoddha Sangsad KC in Gopalganj while Saif SC will face Bangladesh Police FC in Rajshahi, both will kick off at 3:30 pm. .In Monday's other matches, Chittagong Abahani will play Rahmatganj MFS at Sylhet District Stadium while Dhaka Mohammedan SC will encounter Sheikh Russel KC at Bashundhara Sports Complex in Dhaka, both will kick-off at 3:30 pm. After the eleven- round first phase matches,  last two times champions Bashundhara Kings comfortably maintained their solo lead in the league table securing 26 points while Dhaka Abahani  Ltd followed them distantly with 22 points. Also read:BPL Football: Kings play 3-3 draw with Sk Jamal; Dhaka Abahani beat Uttar Baridhara 5-2 Two teams-- Sheikh Jamal DC and Chittagong Abahani Ltd --were in the 3rd slot securing 21 points each. Muktijoddha Sangsad KC and Swadhinata KS are struggling at the bottom places securing seven and six points respectively.