Bangladesh Premier League
BPL Players’ Draft 2024: Ashraful and Sabbir overlooked
Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful and batsman Sabbir Rahman have been overlooked in the players’ draft for the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), scheduled to commence early next year.
While Sabbir participated in last year’s BPL, Ashraful missed the previous edition as well. His last appearance in the BPL dates back to 2019.
Also read: BPL Players’ Draft 2024: Mushfiqur joins Fortune Barishal with Tamim, Mahmudullah
All six franchises have finalized their squads in the players’ draft, and none have expressed interest in Ashraful and Sabbir.
Both players are currently distant from the national team, and their performance in recent years has not merited consideration for a return.
Also read: Next edition of BPL to be held after general election
As Ashraful nears the twilight of his career, Sabbir still has ample cricket ahead of him. Hence, being overlooked in the BPL marks a significant setback for Sabbir, who has represented the Tigers in 125 international matches.
BPL 2023 Final Preview: Sylhet Strikers vs Comilla Victorians, Who Will Win the Title?
The ninth season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) started quietly on January 6 as there was no opening ceremony for the spectators. Also, the tournament was criticized from the beginning due to several reasons. However, as the matches were played, the tournament became exciting. And the final game Sylhet Strikers vs Comilla Victorians is ready to take place on February 16. Both teams will enter the final with 18 points with nine wins and three losses. So, it can be said that the match will be highly competitive. So, who will win the 2023 BPL? Let’s explore.
BPL 2023 Final Venue, Schedule
The BPL 2023 final will take place on February 16 at Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Mirpur. The game will begin at 6:30 PM. However, the closing ceremony featuring Nagarbaul (James), Warfaze, and Maqsood O’ Dhaka will start at 3 PM.
Sylhet Strikers vs Comilla Victorians 2023 BPL Final Preview
The reigning champions, Comilla Victorians, lost their first three matches in the BPL this year. After that, there is no loss. After winning ten matches in a row, they were the first to reach the finals. They are being quickly separated from the rest of the teams in the playoff round, considering sync in the squad.
Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan and Khushdil Shah returned after playing a major role in the league phase of the tournament. However, their absence was not felt at all in Comilla in the playoffs. Before the playoffs, they added franchise T20 world-renowned names.
Read More: BPL 2023: Strikers march into final in first for Sylhet franchise
With the addition of Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Moeen Ali, Comilla looks quite different from the rest of the teams. In the first qualifier game against Sylhet Strikers on Sunday, the most successful team of the BPL Comilla emerged victorious, stopping their opponents at 125 runs. Apart from foreign cricketers, the country’s best opener Litton Das, cutter master Mustafizur Rahman is also the big hope of the team in the final.
On the other hand, Sylhet Strikers have never played in the final in BPL before. However, Sylhet reached the final for the first time under the leadership of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, the most successful captain in BPL history.
As a captain, Mashrafe reached the BPL final for a record fifth time. And with the Mashrafe’s leadership, they were seen as different from the beginning of the season. Sylhet Strikers entered the BPL final for the first time by defeating Rangpur Riders by 19 runs in the fiercely contested second eliminator.
Sylhet Strikers vs Comilla Victorians Head to Head at BPL
So far Comilla Victorians and Sylhet Strikers have met 13 times in BPL. The 2023 final will be their 14th meeting. Out of the 13 meetings, they played each other 3 times this year. Victorians have won 10 matches so far, while Sylhet Strikers were able to win 3 matches. This year, Sylhet won one game out of the three. Among all their matchups, their first group stage match in 2020, BPL was highly competitive. The match was tied, and Comilla won the game in the super-over.
Read More: BPL 2023: Tickets for Final Available on Wednesday
BPL 2023 Final: Probable Playing XI
Sylhet Strikers:
Towhid Hridoy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Zakir Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Ryan Burl, Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Imad Wasim, Gulbadin Naib, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mohammad Amir, Rubel Hossain.
Comilla Victorians:
Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Litton Das, Imrul Kayes (c), Mosaddek Hossain, Jaker Ali, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Mukidul Islam, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman.
Key Players to Watch in Sylhet Strikers
The team contains some of the best players in the tournament. However, a few of them have been consistent throughout the tournament. Let’s get to know about them.
Najmul Hossain Shanto
Shanto has been very promising this season. He has some match-winning performances, such as 60 runs against Chattogram Challengers and 89 runs (not out) against Fortune Barishal. Apart from these outstanding performances, Shanto has played a significant role in the team as a batter. Even he had the highest score with 38 runs against the Victorians in the first qualifier match. So, he might lead the team to victory in the final game.
Read More: 4 BPL players and coaches fined for breaching code of conduct.
Towhid Hridoy
He has been a hard hitter in 2023 BPL. He won four players of the match this season. Hridoy delivered some incredible batting skills. Among his hard-hitting performances, 85 runs from 57 balls against Rangpur Riders and 84 runs from 46 balls against Dhaka Dominators are notable. So, it can be said that he has the ability to change the momentum of a game. And it is clear that Sylhet will surely rely on him in the final.
Rubel Hossain
Rubel was a key performer in the first qualifier match against Comilla Victorians as he took 3 wickets. So, he is expected to repeat his performance in the final. Rubel’s best performance came against the Khulna Tigers. In that match, he took four wickets.
Key Players to Watch in Comilla Victorians
Comilla picked some star players in the auction. And most of those star players were perfectly used. However, the following players might make a difference in the final.
Litton Das
The opener Litton Das is a key batter for Comilla this season. He has some top scores for the team, such as 70 runs from 42 balls against Sylhet Strikers and 47 runs against Rangpur Raiders. Since he was outstanding against Sylhet, Litton will surely try to repeat his batting style and help Victorians to collect a big score.
Read More: 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup: Prospect of Bangladesh Squad
Mohammad Rizwan
Rizwan has a great chance to help Victorians in the final in both wicket keeping and batting. He has scored some match-winning runs in the group stage. For example, 61 runs from 47 balls against the Chattogram Challengers and 54 runs against the Khulna Tigers.
Mukidul Islam
Mukidul Islam is the master of keeping Comilla’s goal within reach. He gave his best performance against Fortune Barishal. This young man took 5 wickets for just 23 runs with the best bowling record among Bangladeshi pacers in BPL history. This is the first 5 wickets of his T20 career. He seems to be very promising, and it is sure that Mukidul will give his best in the final against the Sylhet Strikers.
Who will Win BPL 2023?
Considering the facts and this year’s performance, Comilla Victorians has a great chance to win the BPL 2023. Comilla, who have won three BPL title, have a wealth of experience in playing big games.
Foreign players in Comilla Victorians also regularly play intense matches in other franchises. It looks like it will be easier to keep the nerves in the finals this time as well. Playoffs and finals are always pressured games and require a lot of nerve to play.
Read More: Bangladesh vs England ODI Series 2023 Preview: Schedule, Fixtures, Team
Almost all the Victorians players have a lot of experience in finals. So, the team will benefit from the experienced players, and Comilla will certainly have an advantage like the previous year. They almost lost the whole match in BPL 2022 final, but they managed to hold their nerve at the very end, and they won the title. And they are looking to win this year too.
On the other hand, Mashrafe will lead the Sylhet Strikers. This will be his 5th BPL final, and Mashrafe won all four finals. The former captain of the national team reached the final of the BPL after six years. Last time he won the title with Rangpur Raiders, and the Raiders achieved their first title by defeating Dhaka Dynamites in 2017.
Since Mashrafe made it a rule to win titles if he reaches the BPL final, we cannot deny Sylhet’s chance this year. Veteran cricketer Mashrafe's tactics will surely increase the chances for Sylhet.
Read More: BAN vs ENG Series 2023: England Squad Analysis
Sylhet Strikers vs Comilla Victorians 2023 BPL Final’s Ticket Price
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) released the ticket price list for the BPL final. The minimum ticket price for Thursday’s final match at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla Stadium is Tk 300. The game can be watched sitting in the Eastern Stand for 300 takas. Tickets for North and South Stands cost Tk 400, and Club House costs Tk 800. Ticket prices for the VIP stand have been set at Tk 1500, and tickets for the Grandstand can be purchased for a maximum of 2000 taka.
These tickets can be collected from the counters next to Gate No. 1 of Mirpur Stadium and Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium, Mirpur, both the day before and on the day of the match, between 9:30 AM and 7:30 PM.
BPL 2023 Closing Ceremony
Although the whole tournament was dull, BCB is trying to give a boost to the final by arranging a closing ceremony. Popular bands Nagarbaul (James) and Warfaze will grace the stage before the final. And it is expected that Maqsood O’ Dhaka will also join.
Read More: 'Chandika not as strict as we think': Khaled Mahmud
Final Words
It will be an intense moment for the Sylhet Strikers as they have reached the final for the first time. On the other hand, Comilla Victorians will be looking to bag their fourth title and second in a row. Hence, there is no doubt that the BPL 2023 final will be highly competitive as both teams have some top-class players who can change the game anytime. So, who do you think will win the 2023 BPL trophy in the final match Sylhet Strikers vs Comilla Victorians?
BPL 2023: Strikers march into final in first for Sylhet franchise
Sylhet Strikers provided their fans with the ultimate Bashonti present by advancing to the final of this year's Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) with a 19-run victory over Rangpur Riders on Tuesday in Mirpur.
The Strikers, led by Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, will now face the Comilla Victorians in the final on February 16th. It will be the first time a Sylhet franchise will compete in the BPL final.
Rangpur needed 28 runs in the last over to chase down the target of 183. Rubel Hossain conceded two fours off the first two balls, but he made a comeback off the last three balls and ensured a win for the Strikers.
Before failing to score 28 runs in the last over, the Riders were going well. In the fourth-wicket partnership, Nurul Hasan Shohan and Rony kept the scorecard afloat. They scored 82 off 52 balls. The partnership was broken after a drama unfolded when Mushfiqur Rahim returned to the field.
The wicketkeeper-batsman was absent from the field at the start of the second innings. In his absence, Akbar Ali, a substitute fielder, kept wicket for the Strikers. However, when Mushfiqur returned to the field before the 17th over, the playing conditions required him to resume his role as the designated wicketkeeper of the Strikers. For unknown reasons, Mushfiqur was unable to take on this responsibility.
In this scenario, the Strikers had two options: either to give the gloves to Mushfiqur and replace Akbar or to choose someone from the playing XI to take on the role. The Strikers decided to entrust Zakir Hasan with the gloves. This drama caused a pause in the match that lasted several minutes.
In the meantime, Nurul and Rony lost momentum. Off the first ball of the 17th over, Sakib dismissed Nurul. In the same over, Rony was trapped run-out by Zakir. And the Riders never got the momentum back.
Dasun Shanaka and Mahedi Hasan, two batters who had the onus on them to get going for the Riders, failed, and eventually, the Riders tumbled for 163 for eight in 20 overs.
Luke Wood scalped three wickets for the Strikers, while Rubel and Sakib took two wickets each.
Read more: BPL 2023: Rangpur book last playoff spot beating Dhaka
Earlier, the Riders won the toss and sent the Strikers to bat first. The in-form Towhid Hridoy and Najmul Hossain Shanto ensured a blistering first-wicket stand, scoring 65 off nine overs.
After Hridoy was sent back by Hasan Mahmud, Mashrafe surprised many by putting himself to bat at number three. He also displayed some old batting glimpses, scoring 28 off just 16 balls at an average of 175. Thisara Perera and George Linde also contributed well, scoring 21 each.
Hasan Mahmud and Dasun Shanaka took two wickets each. But their efforts were not enough to restrict the Strikers to a lower total.
BPL 2023: Lower prices announced for 2nd qualifier tickets
Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has announced a lower ticket price for the 2nd qualifier, which will be played on February 14 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.
Sylhet Strikers will take on the Rangpur Riders in the 2nd qualifier, and it will determine which team will challenge the Comilla Victorians in the grand finale on February 16.
The tickets for this match are now discounted, as compared to the first qualifier. Fans can buy their tickets at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium and the ticket booth adjacent to Gate 1 of Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Read More: BPL 2023: Dhaka end with another defeat
The tickets are priced from Tk 100 to Tk 1,000, depending on the stand the fans choose. The grandstand is the most expensive option, and it offers the best view of the game. The eastern stand is the cheapest option but still provides a decent view. The VIP stand, the clubhouse, and the north/south stand are also available at different ticket prices.
The ticket counters will remain open from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm. Each fan can buy up to four tickets.
On their way to the 2nd qualifier, the Sylhet Strikers lost the first qualifier to the Comilla Victorians, while the Rangpur Riders won the eliminator against the Fortune Barishal. The second qualifier match will start at 2:00 pm on February 14.
Read more: BPL 2023: Khulna sign off on high note
BPL 2023: Dhaka beat Barishal to stay alive
Dhaka Dominators beat Fortune Barishal by five wickets in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Tuesday in Sylhet.
It was only the third win of Dhaka in the event in 10 matches, that kept their hopes of qualifying to the next round alive. In contrast, it was only the third defeat of Shakib Al Hasan-led Barishal.
Barishal batted first after winning the toss. Anamul Haque was the top scorer for Fortune Barishal, scoring 42 runs off 35 balls with 5 boundaries and 1 six. Saif Hassan provided a steady start to the innings with 15 runs off 19 balls before being dismissed by Amir Hamza.
Skipper Shakib Al Hasan's stay at the crease was short-lived as he was dismissed for just 5 runs. Ibrahim Zadran and Iftikhar Ahmed were dismissed cheaply with just 2 and 10 runs, respectively.
Read more: BPL 2023: Sylhet Strikers overpower Khulna Tigers to ensure playoff berth
Mahmudullah played a crucial role in the middle order scoring 39 runs off 27 balls with 4 boundaries and 2 sixes. Salman Hossain and Karim Janat made 14 and 17 runs respectively before being dismissed. Fortune Barishal finished their innings with a score of 156/8 in 20 overs.
For Dhaka, Amir Hamza bagged two wickets.
Dhaka Dominators started their chase positively with Soumya Sarkar scoring 37 runs off 22 balls with 4 boundaries and 2 sixes. Wicket-keeper Mohammad Mithun was the top scorer for Dhaka Dominators with 54 runs off 36 balls, hitting 6 boundaries and 3 sixes. Abdullah Al Mamun contributed with 26 runs before being dismissed.
Nasir Hossain and Usman Ghani finished the game for Dhaka Dominators scoring 20 and 2 runs respectively. Dhaka Dominators won the game by 5 wickets with 3 balls to spare.
Shakib and Sunzamul Islam took two wickets for Barishal, but they could not stop Dhaka from winning this match.
BPL 2023: Comilla's winning streak continues
Comilla Victorians defeated Dhaka Dominators by 60 runs in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Monday.
It was their fourth win in a row in the BPL after three consecutive defeats at the start of a league.
With this win, Victorians secured eight points from seven matches while it was the sixth defeat for Dhaka in seven matches.
Read more: BPL 2023: Rangpur Riders get back to winning ways
Imrul Kayes, Johnson Charles, and Khushdil Shah scored over 20 runs each for Comilla. Kayes and Charles hit five boundaries each; Khushdil hit two sixes and two fours in his 30-run innings.
Dhaka captain Nasir Hossain was the best bowler for his team, taking two wickets.
Comilla's 164-6 from 20 overs proved to be too much for Dhaka to chase down.
For Dhaka, only Usman Ghani scored over 30 runs. He hit 33 runs off 34 balls, including two fours. The team's top-order batters Mizanur Rahman and Soumya Sarkar were dismissed for low scores, putting them in a difficult position.
Naseem Shah took four wickets for 12 runs and Khushdil grabbed two wickets.
Dhaka managed to score 104-9 in 20 overs, falling 60 runs short of the target.
Read more: BPL 2023 resumes on Monday
BPL 2023: Khulna break the deadlock to register first win
Khulna Tigers have finally claimed their first victory in the current season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), coming to their fourth match.
They secured a dominant victory against Rangpur Riders on Tuesday in Chattogram, as Tamim Iqbal scored an unbeaten 60. Following the match, Khulna's captain Yasir Ali expressed relief upon the team's success.
Read more: BPL 2023: Comilla break out of cycle of defeat in fourth match
Khulna won the toss and opted to bowl first in this match.
The Riders were restricted to 129 for all wickets in 20 overs, courtesy of a well-executed bowling effort by the opposition. Unfortunately, they lost their opener Rony Talukdar in the first over, causing an early setback.
However, Parvez Hossain Emon and Mahedi Hasan managed to recover with respective scores of 25 and 38, limiting the damage and keeping the Riders in the game.
But the other batter down the order failed to do well. Captain Shoaib Malik scored a mere nine runs.
Wahab Riaz and Amad Butt scalped a combined total of seven wickets for Khulna, with Wahab claiming four and Amad bagging three.
Tamim responded impressively by notching up 60 off just 47 balls, including four fours and two sixes. Mahmudul Hasan Joy also performed admirably, contributing 38 runs to the total.
Read more: BPL 2023: Chattogram romp to easy win over Dhaka
Khulna reached the target in 18.2 overs.
The Riders' captain, Shoaib expressed his disappointment, saying that they had to score more runs to win the match, but they were unable to do so.
BPL 2023 Chattogram phase begins Friday
The Chattogram phase of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) will take off Friday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
Home team Chattogram Challengers will take on Fortune Barishal at 2pm.
In the initial phase of the league, eight matches were held in Dhaka. Sylhet Strikers, led by Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, have topped the points table with eight points from four wins from as many matches.
Tickets for the Chattogam phase are now available. Spectators can collect tickets from Thursday. Also, ticket booths will remain open on match days.
Seven teams are participating in this year's BPL.
Read more: Azam Khan smashes first BPL 2023 century
After the Chattogram phase, the BPL will be back in Dhaka for a two-day phase before an eight-match phase in Sylhet. After that, the competition will return to Dhaka for the final phase.
The final of this year's BPL will be played in the capital on February 16.
Shakib lands in hot water yet again
The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) continues to generate discouraging headlines, with Shakib Al Hasan taking the lead in typical fashion. Most recently, Shakib violated regulations by entering the playing field during the contest between his team Fortune Barishal and Rangpur Riders, on Tuesday.
The BPL authority took a stern action this time, imposing a fine of 15% of their match fees on the players who were found to have breached the Code of Conduct.
Due to Shakib's transgression, the match was briefly halted while the on-field umpires spent some time attempting to persuade Shakib to return to the dugout.
The incident took place ahead of Barishal’s innings in reply to Rangpur’s first innings. Barishal’s opener Chaturanga de Silva, a left-handed batter, took the strike to open the batting for Rangpur as Rakibul Hasan, the left-arm spinner, was about to bowl.
But seeing Chaturanga taking the strike, Nurul Hasan, the Rangpur captain, changed the bowler bringing Mahidy Hasan, a right-handed spinner, assuming that a right-spinner could do well against a right-handed batter.
Read more: “If I were CEO of BPL, it’d take me 1 or 2 months to make necessary changes”: Shakib
But the Barishal openers, Chaturanga and Anamul Haque, decided to change their end, prompting Nurul to change the bowler again. And at this stage, Shakib entered the field and went to the umpires to clarify his point.
It was a clear violation of role— a batting team player cannot just enter the field whenever he wants without the approval of the umpires. At the conclusion of the match day, the BCB issued a punishment to Shakib and the other players involved in the incident.
A BCB release said: “Shakib and Nurul were both found in breach of Article 2.4 of the BCB Code of Conduct for Players, which refers to disobeying an umpire’s instruction during a match.”
It also read that: “Anamul, meanwhile, was penalized for a breach of Article 2.8 of the BCB Code of Conduct for Players for showing dissent at an umpire’s decision.”
BCB confirmed that in addition to the fines, one demerit point has been added to the disciplinary record of each player.
Read more: BCB has no answers to Shakib's truth bombs on BPL
It was just one instance of the many unfortunate incidents that occurred during the ongoing season of BPL, involving the country's best cricketer, Shakib.
BPL 2023: Who Can Win the 9th Bangladesh Premier League
Bangladesh’s franchise T20 cricket tournament Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2023 started on January 6, 2023. The tournament has been taking place since 2012, with occasional breaks. This tournament allows Bangladeshi cricket fans to experience the excitement of watching foreign players compete on the field. Let’s see who can with the BPL 2023.
Overview of BPL 2023 Teams
This year seven teams, Chattogram Challengers, Comilla Victorians, Dhaka Dominators, Fortune Barishal, Khulna Tigers, Rangpur Riders, and Sylhet Strikers, are participating in the tournament. Read on to get an overview of each team.
Chattogram Challengers
Despite never having won the Bangladesh Premier League title, Chittagong consistently build a competitive team and consistently performs well in the league. Chittagong Challengers showed hope last season too but failed to prove their strength in the end. But, this year, it seems Chittagong has started BPL with an average team, as there is no domestic or foreign star cricketer in the team.
Read More: BPL 2023: Ticket prices for first phase revealed
One of the most notable players on the Bangladesh national team is Afif Hossain, is considered to be a standout player for Chattogram Challengers. Besides, there is experienced cricketer Shuvagata Hom, who is the captain of Chittagong Challengers this time. The team contains some well-known names in domestic cricket, like Irfan Shukkur, and Mehedi Maruf.
However, Ireland’s Curtis Campher can bring positive results to this team as he proved his ability by playing fast innings in the T20 World Cup. Pakistan’s fast bowler Shahnawaz Dahani will also give the team bowling some strength. There is Taijul Islam, who is an integral part of Bangladesh's Test team, particularly in conditions that favor spin bowling. Further, Mehdi Hasan Rana, the left-arm fast bowler who took 18 wickets last season, is also in the Chittagong team.
Although Chittagong builds the team without any star cricketers, the available players are good performers and have the ability to fight a close match.
Read More: BPL 2023: Salahuddin laments lack of DRS
Comilla Victorians
Comilla is the current champion of the Bangladesh Premier League. This franchise has won the title three times in total. Throughout the 11-year history of the Bangladesh Premier League, the Comilla Victorians have consistently performed well and are considered to be one of the most reliable teams in the league.
However, the team was not in the tournament from the beginning. But since joining the tournament, Victorians authorities were engaged in creating specific supporter groups starting from jerseys, logos, and slogans. They also formed a strong team this year too.
There are star cricketers like Litton Das, Imrul Kayes, Mosaddek Hossain, and Mustafizur Rahman from Bangladesh in this squad. Along with Mosaddek’s all-rounder role, Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi, Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan, and Zimbabwe’s Shaun Williams are also on the team.
Read More: BPL 2023: Mahmudullah in Barishal, Mushfiqur in Sylhet
However, Rizwan will come to Bangladesh later. But Nabi is with Comilla from the beginning. Besides, the team also has Dawid Malan, one of the most successful international T20 batsmen for England.
All these players make Comilla Victorians a balanced team.
Dhaka Dominators
For now, the biggest name of Dhaka Dominators seems to be Chaminda Vaas. He is serving as their head coach of Dhaka. Apart from Vaas, Taskin Ahmed is a big name for Dhaka. Taskin is the best fast bowler in Bangladesh in recent times and is accompanied by Shoriful Islam and Al Amin. All these fast bowlers are the core strength of team Dhaka. Also there is Chamika Karunaratne.
Read More: BPL 2023: What Mashrafe, Perara and Amir can bring to Sylhet Strikers
The well-known names of Bangladesh domestic cricket, Alok Kapali and Muktar Ali, are in the squad. Pakistan’s Shan Masood, who added value to Pakistan’s batting lineup in the T20 World Cup, can be a source of hope for Dhaka Dominators. Further, this tournament can be a big opportunity for Soumya Sarkar to prove his performance once again. The team also signed up Mohammad Mithun and Nasir Hossain.
So, it seems Dhaka will go for attack with the top-class bowling lineup.
Fortune Barishal
Last season, Fortune Barisal was a dominant force in the Bangladesh Premier League. Despite ultimately falling short in the final, the team displayed a high level of skill and consistency throughout the season. Spin bowling was the main strength of this team under Shakib Al Hasan’s captaincy. Last year, Shakib and Afghan bowler Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s combo helped the team to reach the final.
Read More: BPL 2023: Syhet Strikers ropes in Mashrafe, Amir, Perera
This year Mehidy Hasan and Rahkeem Cornwell will accompany Shakib. Also, Sanjamul Islam of the domestic league of Bangladesh will also shine for Barishal. Additionally, the team management has the option to utilize Mahmudullah Riyad and Chaturanga de Silva as alternatives.
Barisal’s main goal was to build an all-rounder-based team. Last season Barisal fielded a team with ten all-rounders except for the wicket-keeper. However, this franchise is entering the BPL 2023 with a slightly weaker team.
But the big strength of the team is captain Shakib Al Hasan. Shakib was recently awarded the best athlete of Bangladesh in a survey and is also the most successful cricketer in the Bangladesh Premier League. He has won the tournament’s best cricketer award four times in eight seasons so far.
Read More: BPL 2023: Sylhet Strikers make a flying start winning a low-scoring match
Khulna Tigers
Like Dhaka, Khulna’s big strength is coach Khaled Mahmud. He is a well-known name in Bangladesh Premier League and a successful coach. However, the biggest star of this team is Tamim Iqbal. Tamim is not only the main cricketer of the team but also an important member from team management to team selection.
Squad-wise Khulna is one of the strongest teams this season. There are five Pakistani cricketers in the squad, including Naseem Shah, Fakhar Zaman, and Wahab Riaz. Additionally, Azam Khan can play a big role, while the team also picked Sharjeel Khan. But if Khulna plays in the playoffs, they will not be able to stay in the team in the end.
One of the most successful T20 bowlers in Bangladesh in recent times is Nasum Ahmed remains in the spin sector. Nahidul Islam, who showed surprise last season, is also available on the team.
Read More: BPL 2023: Dhaka Triumphs Over Khulna Amidst Ongoing Criticism Over DRS Absence
Rangpur Riders
Rangpur Riders have their own practice ground and a different style of management and are still trying to maintain the professionalism of international cricket in the Bangladesh Premier League. The one-time champions of the tournament have not appeared in the last season. This time the team has come to the BPL with a strong pace bowling attack.
Pakistan’s Haris Rauf and Bangladesh’s Hasan Mahmud remain at the core of the attack. Besides, the important players of the Pakistan T20 team, Mohammad Nawaz and Shoaib Malik, are playing for Rangpur. Sikandar Raza, a star cricketer from Zimbabwe, has been signed to play for Rangpur for the entire season. Besides, there are Sheikh Mehdi Hasan and Naeem Sheikh. Bangladesh’s Nurul Hasan Sohan will lead this team.
Sylhet Strikers
Sylhet has appeared as Sylhet Strikers name in the Bangladesh Premier League this time. Sylhet can be called the most unsuccessful team in the history of BPL. Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, the most successful captain of BPL, is playing for this team this year. However, he has not played in any professional cricket matches since April of the previous year.
Read More: BPL 2023: Sylhet overpower Barishal by six wickets
Bangladesh National Parliament members Mashrafe and Mushfiq, who retired from international T20 cricket, are big names in Sylhet. A fund fact, Mushfiqur Rahim and Sylhet have one thing in common, Mushfiq as an individual and Sylhet as a team are yet to win the Bangladesh Premier League title.
Rajin Saleh is the coach for Sylhet Strikers; a cricketer from Sylhet has played for the Bangladesh national team for a long time. However, the main strength of Sylhet Strikers is two Pakistani cricketers, Mohammad Haris and Mohammad Amir, who will not be available for the team for all matches. Similar to how Barishal structured their team last year, Sylhet has recruited a number of all-rounders to provide balance and versatility to their lineup in this T20 tournament.
The team has Imad Wasim, Thisara Perera, Dhananjaya De Silva, and Zimbabwe’s Ryan Burl. Colin Ackermann, who caught the eye in T20 World Cup, will also play for Sylhet.
Read More: BPL 2023: All Teams Squad, Captain, Players List details
Who will Win the BPL 2023?
Comparing all seven teams, Comilla Victorians and Fortune Barishal have a great chance of winning the tournament. Both teams have some star players with good form. For Comilla, Litton Das, Mosaddek Hossain, Mustafizur, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaun Williams can make a difference and lead the team to another BPL title.
On the other hand, Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz can play a big role in Fortune Barishal. Apart from these two stars, Mahmudullah Riyad and Chaturanga de Silva can help the team win from the middle order.
Final Words
In the Bangladesh Premier League tournament, the Franchises are erratic and changed ownership several times. Even no cricketer has played for the same team for a long time, as seen in Indian Premier League with Virat Kohli in Bangalore and MS Dhoni in Chennai. As the only T20 tournament in Bangladesh, the BPL provides an opportunity for domestic cricketers to showcase their skills in the T20 format and earn a wage.
Read More: BPL 2023: Icon Players, Complete schedule – Dates, Venues & Match Time
BPL is primarily a bowling-based T20 league. In the group stage, we hardly see any big innings in Mirpur and Sylhet. We may see a little run in Chittagong. That’s why teams go into the draft with the idea of strengthening the bowling first. And the same goes for this year too. So, the teams’ fate will depend on the bowlers’ performance. So, Comilla Victorians and Fortune Barishal will remain ahead in the race to win BPL 2023.