Left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman sustained a head injury after being struck by a ball during practice. The incident occurred while Mustafizur, representing Comilla Victorians in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), was participating in a practice session at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Sunday (February 18, 2024). While returning to his run-up area during a net session, Mustafizur was hit directly on the left side of his head. He was immediately taken to a hospital in Chattogram. Read: BPL 2024: Chattogram, Barishal inch closer to playoffs  Following a CT scan, the medical team from the Comilla Victorians confirmed that Mustafizur did not sustain an internal head injury. However, he will remain under observation as a precautionary measure. “After (the) CT scan we are satisfied that he had only external injury. There was no intracranial bleeding,” stated S M Zahidul Islam Sazal, the physio of the Victorians.  Read: BPL 2024: West Indies stars Narine, Russell join Comilla Victorians  Sazal further mentioned that Mustafizur received stitches for the open wound. Mustafizur's performance in the BPL has been consistent. In nine matches, he has secured 11 wickets for the reigning BPL champions.

When Tawhid Hridoy stepped onto the crease, the Comilla Victorians had already lost three wickets for just 23 runs, making their chase of a daunting target of 176 seems like an uphill battle. Yet, Tawhid Hridoy refused to yield. In a display of artistry and control, he steered the team to a remarkable five-wicket victory, notching up his maiden century in the format — the first of the ongoing season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). His innings culminated in a brilliant 108 off just 57 balls, embellished with eight fours and seven sixes—powerful brushstrokes against an ominous backdrop. His century was the only sixth century in BPL by the Bangladeshi batters. Overall, it was the 30th century in this prestigious T20 league in the country. Read: BPL 2024: Strikers cruise home comfortably against Tigers  Following the match, the right-handed batter shared his thoughts with the media. He attributed his success to the opportunity to bat higher up the order, expressing gratitude to his captain and the team management for the chance provided. “I am grateful for the opportunity to bat at the top order,” he remarked. “I would like to thank my captain and team management.” Tawhid had garnered acclaim as one of the finest batters during his U-19 cricketing days and has since become an indispensable asset to the national white-ball team. Yet, amidst the accolades, he retains a sense of perspective. Reflecting on his century in the BPL, Tawhid humbly remarked that while each century holds significance for him, his three centuries against Sri Lanka at the U-19 level stand out as particularly memorable. “Every century is special,” he affirmed, “but those three against Sri Lanka at the U-19 level hold a special place in my heart.” Read: BPL 2024: Sylhet triumph over Dhaka in battle of minnows

With the promise of improvement, the 10th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), the country's sole franchise-based T20 league, is set to commence on Friday with a match between Comilla Victorians and Durdanto Dhaka. While the Victorians boast the title of the most successful team in BPL history, Durdanto Dhaka is making its debut this season. In keeping with the tradition of previous BPL seasons, the premium cricket event is beginning this year amidst mismanagement and controversy, exemplified by the absence of an official pre-event press conference for the captains. BCB unveils title sponsor just two days before BPL's start However, the BPL governing council has stated its commitment to ensuring a successful BPL this year. The opening match is set to take place at 2:30 pm at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, followed by the second match of the opening day at 7:30 pm. For the first time, all BPL teams have placed their trust on local coaches, despite many lacking a track record of coaching at the top level of cricket. T- Sports, Business Standard, Channel i. and Independent TV advance to BSJA Media Cricket semifinals Foreign recruitment for the teams is not as enticing as in previous years. Seven teams are participating in this year's BPL, with the first phase taking place in Dhaka before the event moves to Sylhet, Dhaka, and Chattogram, culminating in the final phase back in Dhaka. The tickets are out for the opening day. Visits at the ticket-selling booths showed a low turnout of spectators, casting a shadow over people’s interest in BPL.  BSJA Media Cup Cricket Tournament advances to quarterfinal stages However, Ismail Haider Mallick, the secretary of the BPL governing body, said the popularity of BPL is more than ever. He said he has to keep his phone off due to the surge in demand for tickets during the play-offs.  Nagorik TV and T-Sports will telecast BPL matches. Along with that, Daraz will also telecast on their OTT platform.

Comilla Victorians Thursday beat Sylhet Strikers by seven wickets to win a record fourth Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) title in Mirpur. The Victorians' made a world record after winning 11 straight matches to defend their title. No team has ever won a T20 tournament title this way. Ahead of today's final, Comilla had played three BPL finals and never suffered a defeat. Also, before this match, Sylhet Strikers captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza had led his teams in four BPL finals and never lost a match. So, it was a battle for both the Victorians and Mashrafe to establish their place in BPL final history, which Mashrafe ultimately lost in front of a packed gallery in Mirpur.    Litton Das and Johnson Charles were the main architects of the Victorians' victory, each hitting a fifty. While Litton fell for 55, Charles remained unbeaten on 79 off 52 balls with seven fours and five sixes.    Comilla got off to a blistering start while chasing 176. Openers Litton and Sunil Narine scored 27 runs in just 2.2 overs. However, their opening stand was short-lived as Narine was dismissed by Rubel Hossain after scoring 10 runs off just five balls with a boundary and a six.    In the next over, Imrul Kayes was dismissed for just two runs. After these two quick wickets, Johnson and Litton added 70 runs off 57 balls in their third wicket partnership, which kept the Victorians' title hopes alive. Litton eventually fell for 55 after Najmul Hossain Shanto took a remarkable catch at the boundary. In the 15th and 16th, George Linde and Luke Wood conceded only three and five runs, respectively, making the job of the Victorians much tougher. However, during the 17th over bowled by Rubel, Charles smashed three sixes and one four; and the Victorians needed only 29 runs off the last 18 balls. The Victorians reached the target of 176 with seven wickets and four balls to spare. Earlier, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim, both of whom scored a fifty each, helped Sylhet Strikers post 175-7 in 20 overs against Comilla Victorians in the final of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2023 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Thursday. Comilla's fielders were surprisingly sloppy, conceding at least 25-30 runs due to misfielding and dropped catches. Towhid Hridoy, who hit five fifties in this BPL, made a duck. Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, captain of Sylhet, came to bat at number three, as he did in the second qualifier. But this time the plan did not work for him. So, the onus was on Shanto and Mushfiqur to rescue their team. And the duo added 79 runs off 56 balls in the third wicket stand. Shanto hit nine fours and a six in his 45-ball 64. He was dismissed by Moeen Ali in the 13th over, leaving Sylhet at 105-3. Mushfiqur continued to anchor the innings. He remained unbeaten on 74 off 48 balls, with five fours and three sixes. He added 29 runs with Ryan Burl (13), who was caught by Mosaddek Hossain off Mustafizur Rahman in the 16th over. George Linde (9) hit a four before being caught by Litton Das off Mustafizur in the 18th over. Zakir Hasan (1) was run out by Moeen Ali in the penultimate over. Tanzim Hasan Sakib joined Mushfiqur for the last four balls and remained not out for zero. For Comilla, Mustafizur was the most successful bowler, grabbing two wickets for 31 runs in four overs. Moeen Ali, Tanvir Islam, Sunil Narine, and Andre Russell took one wicket each.

Comilla Victorians, the most successful team in the league's history, is all set to take on the Sylhet Strikers, who have made it to the final for the first time. The final will be played on Thursday at Mirpur, Dhaka. While Comilla has been the most successful team in the league, the Strikers are led by Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, the captain who has won the BPL title more times than anyone else, making the final a unique rivalry. Sylhet finished at the top of the points table in the league phase and had a great run throughout. However, they lost the first qualifier to Comilla and had to beat Rangpur Riders in the second qualifier to make it to the final. Towhid Hriody and Najmul Hossain Shanto, both local batters, have been the key architects of Sylhet Strikers’ most successful run in the BPL. Towhid has scored five fifties this season, while Shanto has knocked two. Despite suffering a brief hand injury, Towhid has maintained his zeal throughout. Remarkably, both batters have scored over 400 runs so far, with only one other player achieving this feat. “Our priority is team performance over individual performance,” said Sylhet’s left-handed opener Shanto ahead of the final. “It’s great to see that Towhid is also doing well, and the healthy competition between us is a positive thing. Our common goal is to excel in our game and win the match tomorrow.” The Strikers’ main bowlers are Mohammad Amir, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Mashrafe, and Imad Wasim. On the other hand, Comilla has relied heavily on Mohammad Rizwan and Khushdil Shah, who have averages of 50 and 47, respectively. Tanvir Islam led Comilla's bowling attack, taking 16 wickets, just one short of the highest-wicket taker. According to Comilla captain Imrul Kayes, who has already won two BPL titles, the final is going to be a high-octane match. He believes the team that can manage their nerves well will have a better chance of lifting the title. “The match is going to be a battle of the minds,” Imrul said. “In high-pressure games, the team that can keep their nerves under control is the one that tends to perform better. It's important to manage oneself in these situations. Even if a team scores two hundred runs, there's no guarantee they will win.” The match is scheduled to begin at 6:30 pm, and a concert featuring renowned Bangladeshi bands will take place at the venue before the game.    

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?

The Comilla Victorians triumphed over the Chattogram Challengers by six wickets on Saturday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. The victory marked the seventh consecutive win for Comilla Victorians. Chattogram Challengers won the toss and elected to bat first, but their innings was hampered by early dismissals of Mehedi Maruf and Khawaja Nafay, who suffered a duck and scored 2 runs, respectively. Afif Hossain and Usman Khan stepped up for the Challengers with strong performances. Afif scored 66 runs off 49 balls, hitting 6 fours and 2 sixes, while Usman made a contribution of 52 runs off 41 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes. Despite their efforts, the Chattogram Challengers only managed to post a score of 156/7 in their 20 overs. Tanvir Islam and Hasan Ali took two wickets each for the Challengers. Comilla Victorians got off to a strong start in their response, with their openers setting the tone for the rest of the innings. Read more: BPL 2023: Tickets for final leg on sale from Thursday Mohammad Rizwan played a key role in the victory, scoring 61 runs off 47 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes. Mosaddek Hossain also put on a reliable performance, finishing the match with an unbeaten 37 runs off 27 balls, hitting 3 fours and a six. The Comilla Victorians secured their victory, scoring 157/4 in 19 overs. Despite efforts from bowlers Mrittunjoy Chowdhury and Ziaur Rahman, who took two wickets each, the rest of the Chattogram Challengers' bowlers failed to make a significant impact.  

The Comilla Victorians made remarkable history in Tuesday's Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match, succeeding in their chase of a target surpassing 200 runs and defeating the Khulna Tigers in Sylhet. Khulna Tigers put up a strong score with contributions from Tamim Iqbal and Shai Hope, scoring 95 and 91 runs respectively, setting a total of 210 for 2 wickets. However, the highlight of the match was Johnson Charles from the Comilla Victorians, who scored an impressive century with 107 runs and 11 sixes. Comilla started off on the backfoot with early losses from Litton Das and Imrul Kayes while chasing a big target, but a crucial third-wicket partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Johnson Charles of 122 runs sealed a fantastic victory for the Victorians. Rizwan made a significant contribution of 73 runs with 4 sixes. Comilla achieved their chase with 7 wickets in hand and 10 balls to spare, marking their sixth consecutive win and moving up to third place in the points table with 6 wins in 9 matches. Read more: BPL 2023: Dhaka beat Barishal to stay alive On the other hand, Khulna suffered their seventh loss in 9 matches and currently sit in sixth place with a mere 4 points. The Sylhet phase of the BPL has come to a close and the tournament will now move to Dhaka, starting on February 3rd.  

In a thrilling encounter at the Bangladesh Premier League, Comilla Victorians edged out Khulna Tigers by four runs to strengthen their position in the points table. Put in to bat first, Comilla scored 165-2 in their allotted 20 overs. Litton Das smashed 50 off 42 balls and Mohammad Rizwan remained unbeaten on 54 off 47 balls. In reply, Khulna managed to score 161-6 in 20 overs. Andy Balbirnie top scored 38 off 31 balls for them; Shai Hope scored 33 off 32 balls. Naseem Shah was the standout performer for Comilla, taking two wickets for 29 runs. The player of the match award went to Rizwan for his unbeaten 54 runs. Read more: BPL 2023: Barishal grab top place beating Chattogram With this win, Comilla secured 10 points from five wins in eight matches. Khulna Tigers earned only four points from seven matches. Comilla will look to continue their winning ways as they move forward in the tournament. Khulna will be eager to bounce back and make a comeback in their next match.

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