It was a do-or-die match for Chattogram Challengers in the ongoing Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), and they passed with a four-wicket win over Sylhet Sunrisers riding on a 57-ball 92 by Will Jack on Saturday. After Fortune Barishal and Comilla Victorians, Chattogram are the third team to confirm a place in the play-off. Sylhet batted first in this match and posted a challenging 185 for six in 20 overs. Colin Ingram and Anamul Haque posted 41 in the opening stand which was a good foundation for them to put up a tough target for the Challengers. Ravi Bopara, the Sylhet captain, was the highest runs getter for them scoring 44 off 21 balls with two fours and four sixes. Lindle Simmons posted 42 off 27 balls, Mosaddek Hossain scored 35 off 22 balls with three fours and two sixes. For Chattogram, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury bagged three wickets. Also read: BPL 2022: Shakib Sets New Record as Fortune Barishal Secure Top Two In reply, Will Jacks hit an unbeaten 92 and guided Chattogram to the play-off from a cliff edge. Chadwick Walton also did well scoring 35 off 23 balls with three fours and two sixes. When Chattogram was about to fall, Shamim Hossain posted 21 off seven balls with three fours and one six. Off the first ball of the last ball, Will Jack hit a six and sealed the match for Chattogram. It was the highest by Jacks in his T20 career. Also read: BPL 2022: Barishal keep Dhaka waiting for play-off place In the second match of the day, Khulna Tigers will take on Comilla Victorians. If Khulna win, they will advance to the play-off, and with that, Minister Group Dhaka will be eliminated. If Comilla win, Dhaka will advance to the play-off, and in that case, Khulna will be eliminated.

Rain played spoilsport on Friday afternoon, delaying the day's first match in the ongoing Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).  In the first match of the day from 1.30pm, Sylhet Sunrisers were scheduled to take on Fortune Barishal. But an hour of showers have delayed the match. In the second match, Comilla Victorians will take on Minister Group Dhaka at 6.30pm.  Also read: Showers usher in chill in Bangladesh After Friday’s play, the teams will travel to Sylhet where six matches will be played on February 7, 8 and 9. A total of 34 matches will be played in BPL, and 18 have already taken place.  Comilla are at the top of the points table, with eight points from four wins in five matches they have played so far. Barishal have also the same amount of points, but they are slightly behind Comilla in run-rate.  Also read: BPL 2022: Imrul, Liton guide Victorians to back on winning-streak

With only five days ahead of the new edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Sylhet Sunrisers has recruited West Indian Lendl Simmons. The Sunrisers team management confirmed their inclusion on Sunday. Read: BPL sans DRS, possibly Afghanistan series too “I’m happy to be a part of Sylhet Sunrisers,” Simmions told in a video message. “I’m looking forward to playing for them and lifting the trophy.” The other three foreign recruits of Sylhet are Devon Thomas, Rovi Bopara, Shiraz Ahmed, Kesrick Williams, and Colin Ingram. Colin Ingram, Kesrick Williams were direct picks for the Sunrisers while Devon Thomas and Shiraz Ahmed were taken from the draft. The Sunrisers has a mixed experienced and young bunch of local players including Taskin Ahmed, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Mosaddek Hossain, and Alok Kapali. But they lacked a good set-up of foreign recruits. Read:BPL 2022 Live Streaming: Where to Watch the Most Anticipated Domestic Cricket Matches? With the inclusion of Simmons, they now have a good squad for this edition of BPL, which is rebranded as the Bangabandhu BPL to celebrate the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. BPL will be kick off on January 21 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. This year’s BPL will be played in three different venues in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet.

The 2022 season of the Bangladesh Premier League will begin on January 21 (Friday). The final match of the eighth season of the BPL will be contested at the SBNCS in Mirpur on February 18 (Friday). The defending champion Rajshahi Royals and the 2017 champion Rangpur Riders will not compete this season, while the Barishal franchise has returned to the competition. This year's BPL will feature a total of six teams. Let's take a look at the BPL 2022 favorites, underdogs, and outsiders. The Front Runners of BPL 2022 Based on their respective strengths, Cumilla Victorians and Fortune Barishal are the two front-runners in the upcoming T20 competition. Cumilla Victorians Cumilla are perhaps the best team in the competition, and their coach Mohammad Salauddin is one of the most successful in tournament history. Cumilla won the BPL 2016 under his guidance. Therefore, Salauddin will be expected to lead Cumilla to their third Championship. Cumilla can expect to capture the title in the eighth edition of the BPL final, thanks to the presence of Mustafizur, Liton, Imrul Kayes, and other notable T20 players from across the world. Also read: NZ-BAN First Test draw can give Bangladesh the pleasure of victory Top five players of Cumilla Victorians: Faf du Plessis (batter), Moeen Ali (all-rounder), Sunil Narine (all-rounder), Mustafizur Rahman (Left-arm pacer), Liton Das (batter) Fortune Barishal Ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will lead the Fortune Barishal side in the forthcoming tournament. Barishal have featured some effective players in their lineup, all of whom have widespread T20 experience. The Universe Boss Chris Gayle and Danushka Gunathilaka are among them. Young Afghani off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman will be one of Barishal's main strike bowlers. Overall, the Barishal team has the right balance in their quest for the BPL 2022. Top five players of Fortune Barishal: Shakib Al Hasan (all-rounder), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Off-spinner), Chris Gayle (batter), Danushka Gunathilaka (all-rounder), Alzarri Joseph (Pacer)  Read South Africa Dominate as KL Rahul-led India Struggle Day 1 of 2nd Test  The Outsiders of BPL 2022 Dhaka and the Sylhet Sunrisers can be regarded as outsiders in the tournament. Dhaka    Mahmudullah Riyad is the captain of Dhaka team. They also selected veteran Mashrafe Mortaza and Bangladesh ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal from the players’ draft. However, Dhaka's squad lacks quality backup players, which might limit their chance to perform well in the later stages of the competition. Dhaka's key players must remain fit throughout the campaign in order to advance to the knockout stage.  Top five players of Dhaka: Mahmudullah Riyad (all-rounder), Mashrafe Mortaza (bowler), Tamim Iqbal (batter), Rubel Hossain (pacer), Mohammad Shahzad (batter)  Read BPL 2022: Five Promising Young Players to Watch  Sylhet Sunrisers  Sylhet Sunrisers will field some of Bangladesh's most well-known cricketers in the forthcoming BPL 2020 tournament. However, finding the right combination may be a huge challenge for the Sylhet side. Players like Taskin, Mithun Ali, and Ravi Bopara would be crucial for Sylhet in the later stages of the tournament. With their present lineup, Sylhet can only be regarded as an outsider to win the tournament. Top five players of Sylhet Sunrisers: Taskin Ahmed (pacer), Kesrick Williams (pacer), Ravi Bopara (all-rounder), Dinesh Chandimal (batter), Mosaddek Hossain (all-rounder)  Read ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2022: SWOT Analysis of Bangladesh Team The Underdogs of BPL 2022  The Khulna Tigers and Chattogram Challengers are the two underdogs of the forthcoming competition, based on the strength of their respective squads. Khulna Tigers Mr. dependable Mushfiqur Rahim will lead Khulna in this season's Bangladesh Premier League. Khulna don’t have a big squad and as a result, they do not have enough quality players to put up a serious fight against stronger opponents. The success of Khulna's BPL 8 campaign will be determined by how they manage their team throughout the main tournament. They must devise a winning combination for a successful season. However, Khulna are one of the underdogs in this year's competition. Top five players of Khulna Tigers: Mushfiqur Rahim (batter), Thisara Perera (all-rounder), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (batter), Soumya Sarkar (all-rounder, Farhad Reza (all-rounder) Read ICC U19 World Cup 2022 Fixtures: Bangladesh to Face England in Group Phase Chattogram Challengers  Chattogram Challengers will field some of Bangladesh's rising superstars in the Bangladesh Premier League 2022. That’s why everyone is interested in the Chattogram franchise. Will this youthful team be able to make it all the way to the final? From a realistic point of view, this Chattogram squad can’t be regarded as one of the favorites, given the team lacks experience. However, they will be one of the most intriguing teams to watch in the forthcoming BPL 2022. Top five players of Chattogram Challengers: Nasum Ahmed (left-arm spinner), Benny Howell (all-rounder), Afif Hossain (all-rounder), Shoriful Islam (pacer), Chadwick Walton (wicket-keeper, batter)  Read BPL 2022: SWOT Analysis of all Six Teams  Verdict After a short assessment of the teams' strengths to determine the tournament's favorites, underdogs, and outsiders, it is evident that the Cumilla Victorians have the best team among the participants. Cumilla Victorians along with Shakib Al Hasan's Fortune Barishal will be the hot favorites this season. Both Dhaka and Sylhet have several national stars in their teams, but neither Chattogram nor Khulna have strong squads. Therefore, Dhaka and Sylhet Sunrisers have an outside chance of winning the BPL 2022. On the other hand, Chattogram and Khulna have some young players in their squads. Both sides will need to find a suitable combination in order to fight hard against the stronger opponents. Hopefully, the best team in the competition will take home the championship.      Read NZ vs BAN Test Series 2022: Five Bangladesh Players to keep an eye on

Initially, the eighth season of the Bangladesh Premier League was set to take place in March 2021. However, it was postponed indefinitely owing to the coronavirus outbreak. Later the BCB announced that the franchise-based T20 cricket league BPL will take place from January 21 to February 18, 2022. The forthcoming competition will include a total of six teams and the eighth edition of the Players' draft took place on December 27 (Monday). As usual, there were some surprises in this draft. The SWOT analysis of each BPL 2022 team is discussed in this article. The Bangladesh Premier League 2022 Venues The Bangladesh Premier League 2022 will be conducted in three venues. Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka, Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, and Sylhet International Cricket Stadium are the three venues, respectively. As expected, all venues are likely to favor the spinners. However, given the popularity of the T20 format, BCB will attempt to produce some batting-friendly pitches. Read NZ vs BAN Test Series 2022: Five Bangladesh Players to keep an eye on Six Participating Teams of BPL 2022 At a Glance Dhaka, Chattogram Challengers, Khulna Tigers, Fortune Barishal, Sylhet Sunrisers, and Cumilla Victorians are the six teams who will compete in the T20 format's Bangladesh Premier League. Let's look at each squad separately. Dhaka Team Dhaka startled everyone by signing three of Bangladesh's finest cricketers. Bangladesh's T20I skipper Mahmudullah Riyad was a straight signing, but they surprised everyone when they picked ODI Captain Tamim Iqbal and veteran Mashrafe Mortaza from the draft. They have a total of 18 players in the squad, with five from the foreign category. Read Australia Clinch Ashes with a Thumping win Over England in Third Test Strength Dhaka's biggest strength in their quest for a fourth BPL title is having experienced Mashrafe, Mahmudullah, and Tamim in the team. Mashrafe is the most successful skipper in the history of the BPL, while Tamim and Mahmudullah are among the tournament's most successful run-getters. Weakness The T20 format cricket requires the use of young players to provide energy on the field, but Dhaka's lineup is somewhat aged. The fact that they have an older squad may come back to haunt them when it comes to fielding. Therefore, this is Dhaka's main weakness. Read Bangladesh-New Zealand Test Series: Three Inspiring Knocks From Bangladeshi Batters Opportunity To begin with, this competition will provide a massive opportunity for Bangladesh T20 captain Mahmudullah Riyad to win the BPL as a captain. Despite appearing in two finals in the Bangladesh Premier League, Riyad has never won a title. Besides, leg-spinner Rishad Hossain can show off his skills if given a regular opportunity. Threat If Dhaka's star players can't find their rhythm during the competition, they might be in big trouble. Mashrafe hasn't played competitive cricket in over a year, while Tamim is recovering from an injury. Both the players are unlikely to feature in the competition on a regular basis. Read Bangladesh Cricket in 2021: Performance Analysis by Series Squad:  M Riyad (c), I Udana, Q Ahmad, N Zadran, T Iqbal, R Hossain, M Mortaza, S Hom, M Shahzad, F Farooqi, M Naim, A Sunny, I Uzzaman, S Islam, J Islam, S Rahman, E Hossain, R Hossain. Chattogram Challengers Chattogram has built a young squad because they don't have any famous names from the domestic category. They do, however, have young Bangladeshi stars such as Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, and Shamim Hossain. Chattogram's foreign category players will bear the brunt of the pressure in this season of the BPL. Strength This squad includes a number of young Bangladeshi players as well as some seasoned international players. The team is expected to be one of the finest fielding units in the competition. With Benny Howell, Chadwick Walton, and Rayad Emrit in the lineup, the young Bangladesh players may have a better chance of showcasing their skills during the competition. Read Memorable International Cricket Moments in 2021 Weakness Foreign recruiters are competent, but their major flaw is that they lack experience with local players. Chattogram may struggle to perform at the tournament's most vital stage because of it. Another key drawback for the Challengers is that they don't have enough options in the roster. Opportunity With the T20 World Cup in November 2022, Akbar Ali, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, and Mukidul Islam will have plenty of opportunities to impress the selectors. Aside, power hitter Sabbir Rahman will be eager to seize this opportunity to return to the national squad. Read Expected personal milestones to achieve in the Upcoming NZ vs BAN Test Series 2022  Threat With a small squad compared to other teams, Chattogram may have difficulty putting together an ideal playing XI if someone is injured. Squad:  N Ahmed, B Howell, K Lewis, W Jacks, S Islam, A Hossain, S Hossain, M Islam, C Walton, R Emrit, R Raja, S Rahman, M Chowdhury, M Hasan, A Ali, N Islam Khulna Tigers Khulna Tigers have acquired Mr. Reliable Mushfiqur Rahim as a direct signing. They have also added some well-known Sri Lankan players to their roster. Read Central Asian Volleyball Challenge: Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh to be crowned men’s champions Strength Khulna have a number of proven T20 players who can change the course of a match. Mushfiqur, Thisara Perera, Soumya Sarkar, and Farhad Reza are among them. This team has the potential to be a very tough side to beat if they find the right combination. Weakness A team must have some great spinners to win any major competition in Bangladesh. Unfortunately, Khulna's lineup is short of top spinners. Mahedi Hasan is a capable spinner, although he is not regarded as one of the best in the country. They have Afghani Naveen ul Haq in the pace attack, who is still young, and Kamrul Islam Rabbi, who is not a good T20 bowler. As a result, Khulna's bowling department is a major source of concern. Read Sunzamul bags eight to help North Zone register first win Opportunity Mushfiqur Rahim has yet to win a BPL championship both as a player and as a captain. This would be an excellent opportunity for Mushfiqur to demonstrate his captaincy skills. Soumya Sarkar, Yasir Ali, and Jaker Ali will do everything they can to get the attention of the selectors. Threat Like Chattogram, Khulna have a small squad, which could make replacing an injured player difficult. Squad:  M Rahim, T Perera, B Rajapaksa, Naveen-ul-Haq, M Hasan, S Sarkar, K Rabbi, Y Ali, S Prasanna, S Raza, F Reza, R Talukdar, K Ahmed, J Ali, N Samad. Read Tour match: New Zealand X1 score 71 for 5 against Bangladesh on day-1 Fortune Barishal Before the players' draft, Barishal signed ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who will lead the team this season. Barishal feature some outstanding T20 players with a large squad. Strength Barishal have one of the most well-balanced squads in this season, and they are one of the early favorites to win the BPL 2022 competition. Their strong point is that they have some competent backup players, notably in the batting order. Other teams will have a difficult time defeating Barishal if Universe Boss Chris Gayle gets his groove at the perfect time in the competition. Weakness There aren't enough pacers on Barishal's squad which is their major weakness. They have West Indian pacer Alzarri Joseph, but no prominent Bangladeshi pacers. Read U-19 Asia Cup: Bangladesh emerges group champion to reach semifinal   Opportunity Shakib Al Hasan aspires to captain Bangladesh again, therefore this will be a fantastic opportunity for him to demonstrate his leadership abilities. Irfan Sukkur, Mehedi Hasan Rana, and Towhid Hridoy are among this generation's most talented players. So, this upcoming event will provide them with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills. Threat With only a few medium pacers, Barishal might be in serious trouble in the middle of the competition. If the spinners fail to produce and the surfaces favor quicker bowlers, Barishal may be in jeopardy. Squad: S Al Hasan, M Ur Rahman, D Gunathilaka, C Gayle, N Hasan, N Shanto, M Rana, F Mahmud, O McCoy, A Joseph, T Hridoy, Z Rahman, S Islam, S Ali, N Dickwella, N Hasan, T Islam, S Hossain, I Sukkur. Read Australia Clinch Ashes with a Thumping win Over England in Third Test Sylhet Sunrisers Taskin Ahmed was a direct signing for Sylhet. They have a huge squad with some good T20 players. Sylhet have a stronger chance of winning this year's BPL. Strength Sylhet have a huge squad, which implies they have some solid backup players. As a result, squad depth is one of their strongest assets. Ravi Bopara, Taskin Ahmed, Alok Kapali, Dinesh Chandimal, and Kesrick Williams are all talented T20 players. They should be confident in their ability in order to take home the trophy for the first time. Weakness Sylhet don't have any serious flaws, although they failed to include one of Bangladesh's top five players. Another key concern for Sylhet might be finding the right combination. Read Bangamata 6-Nations Volleyball: Bangladesh finishes 5th beating Maldives  Opportunity Mosaddek Hossain, Muktar Ali, Jubair Hossain, and Anamul Haque will have a chance to demonstrate their T20 skills in this event. Threat Sylhet's main challenge, and potential threat, would be to find a winnable combination. Squad: T Ahmed, D Chandimal, K Williams, C Ingram, S Ahmed, M Hossain, M Mithun, Al Amin Hossain, N Islam, R Bopara, A Perera, A Haque, S Gazi, A Kapali, M Ali, J Hossain, M Rahman, N Chowdhury, S Hayet, S Islam. Read Fed Cup Football: Mohammedan emerge group champions Cumilla Victorians Left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman was a direct signing for two-time BPL winner Cumilla. They also acquired some top-tier T20 players, including Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, and Sunil Narine. Cumilla will thus be one of the toughest teams to beat in the BPL 2022. Strength Cumilla have a few good all-rounders as well as some promising young players. Cumilla are one of the better teams this season, with a mix of youth and experience. Weakness Cumilla have no specific flaws in their squad because they have adequate backup in every department. Read BCL: Shuvagata smashes a ton, Irfan takes five Opportunity Parvez Hossain Emon, Sumon Khan, Mehedi Hasan, and Shohidul Islam will have a chance to impress the national selectors at the upcoming event. Threat Cumilla are banking on its young, bright players, who could be a real threat once the competition begins. Things might go wrong for the Victorians if those players don't perform as anticipated. Squad:  Faf du Plessis, M Ali, S Narine, M Rahman, L Das, S Islam, I Kayes, T Islam, K Mendis, O Thomas, A Haque, N Islam, M Joy, S Khan, M Haque, M Ankon, P Emon, A Hider, M Hasan. Read BPL 2022 squads at a glance after draft Verdict Following the player draft, it’s evident that no particular franchise team can be considered the favorite. Each team boasts a number of excellent cricketers. Any team in the BPL 2022 tournament has a chance to win if they perform at their best from the outset. Fans will be tempted to Dhaka because of Mashrafe Mortaza, Mahmudullah Riyad, and Tamim Iqbal. On the other hand, everyone will be paying close attention to the world's best all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan's Fortune Barisal. Overall, T20 cricket fans are looking forward to a competitive eighth season of the Bangladesh Premier League.