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.

All-rounder Nasir Hossain has been temporarily prohibited from participating in domestic cricket following allegations of corruption by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Sources within the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have confirmed that Nasir must await ICC clearance before resuming his domestic cricket career. The players' draft for the upcoming season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is slated for September 24th. However, Nasir's name does not appear on the list of players released by the BCB. HC accepts appeal challenging suspension order of DSA case against Nasir’s wife Tamima The right-handed all-rounder participated in a T20 league in the UAE in 2021, where he, along with other players, allegedly engaged in unethical practices, according to the ICC. Case against cricketer Nasir: Order on charge framing on Feb 9 Nasir Hossain’s last international match dates back to 2018, after which he has been absent from the national squad. He represented the Tigers in a total of 19 Tests, 65 ODIs, and 31 T20Is. Cricketer Nasir, wife Tamima get bail

A 27-member Dhaka Abahani Limited reached Kolkata on Monday (Aug 21) without three key players to play Mohun Bagan Super Giant of Kolkata in a play-off match of the AFC Cup Football 2023-24. The six times Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) champions and curren runners-up Dhaka Abahani Limited will face Kolkata giant Mohun Bagan Super Giant on Tuesday (Aug 22) at 7:30 pm Bangladesh time at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Also read : AFC Cup Football : Dhaka Abahani to fly for Kolkata Monday to play Mohun Bagan SG in play-off match The winners of the match will qualify for the final round (Group Stage) of the 19th edition of the Asia's secondary club football tournament,  will begin on September 18. Dhaka Abahani, which reached Kolkata in two batches --- first batch in the morning and the 2nd batch at 12 noon, dropped their three key players -custodian Pritom, Alomgir Molla and Emon Babu for fever and injuries. Also read : Prospects of Bangladesh in 2023 Asia Cup ODI Tournament Earlier, Dhaka Abahani Limited has a plan to fly for Kolkata Sunday evening, but they are compelled to change schedule as they got Indian visa in late  (Sunday afternoon). Abahani  scheduled to make their first and only practice session at the match venue in Kolkata today (Monday) evening. Earlier in the preliminary round,  Dhaka Abahani advanced to the play-off stage of the AFC Cup Football eliminating Club Eagles of the Maldives by 2-1 goals at the Sylhet District Stadium Wednesday afternoon. Also read : Messi leads Inter Miami to first ever trophy in Leagues Cup final On the other hand,  Kolkata Mohun Club eliminated Machhindra FC of Kathmandu beating them by 3-1 goals at the Kolkata Salt Lake Stadium, also in the Wednesday evening. Dhaka Abahani and Kolkata Mohun Bagan Club faced each other on three occasions where Mohun Bagan Club enjoying upper hand beating Dhaka Abahani twice, both by 3-1 goals, while the remaining match ended in 1-1 draw. Ahead of the match, it was learnt  that, the Mohan Bagan Club are in tense situation following inclusion of three foreign booters --Nigerian forward Ifegwu Ojukwu of Nigeria, St Vincent winger Cornelius Stewart and Brazilian defender Danilu-- in the Abahani line-up.  Mohun Bagan officials assumed that the Abahani did not followed the proper process and guidelines to recruit the above three foreign players in their squad.

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.

Najmul Hossain Shanto, opening batsman of Sylhet Strikers, has been fined 30 percent of his match fees for violating the BCB Code of Conduct during Tuesday's Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match against Rangpur Riders. The Level 1 breach took place at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. Shanto was found to have shown dissent towards an umpire's decision, a violation of Article 2.2 of the BCB Code of Conduct for players. However, the player accepted the penalty proposed by match referee ASM Roquibul Hassan, avoiding the need for a formal hearing. Along with the fine, two demerit points were added to Shanto's disciplinary record, bringing the total number of demerit points to three. This was the second time that the player violated the code of conduct. The charges against Shanto were made by on-field umpires Raveendra Wimalasiri, Prageeth Rambukwella, third umpire Tanvir Ahmed, and fourth official Ali Arman Rajon. Level 1 Code of Conduct breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50 percent of a player's match fee, as well as one or two demerit points. Read more: 4 BPL players and coaches fined for breaching code of conduct    

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?

Tickets for the final of the ongoing season of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) will be available for purchase from tomorrow, Wednesday, 15 February 2023. The final of BPL 2023 promises to be an exciting event for cricket fans, with an added bonus of a grand concert featuring some of the best local bands and singers. According to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief executive officer, Nizam Uddin Chowdhury, the concert is expected to start at approximately 3 pm on match day, followed by the final match at 6:30 pm. Fans can buy tickets for the match from the Shaheed Suhrawardi Indoor Stadium in Mirpur and the ticket booth adjacent to Gate 1 of Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, also in Mirpur. The ticket prices for the different stands are as follows: Grand Stand - TK 2,000, VIP Stand - TK 1,500, Club House - TK 800, North/South Stand - TK 400, and Eastern Stand - TK 300. The tickets will be sold on match day and the day before. Ticket counters and booths will open from 9:30 am and continue until 7:30 pm, subject to the availability of tickets.  

Defending champions Bashundhara Kings earned their ninth straight win in the eleven-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football, beating Sheikh Jamal 3-0 Saturday at the Bashundhara Sports Complex in the capital. Runaway league leader Bashundhara secured 27 points. Second-placed Dhaka Abahani earned 18 points from eight matches. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club remained in the fifth slot with 12 points from eight matches. Read: BCB congratulates Women's U-20 football team for winning SAFF U-20 Championship In today's match, Uzbek midfielder Asror Gafurov put the Kings ahead in the 37th minute (1-0). Brazilian forward Dorielton Gomes netted two more goals in the 60th and 74 (3-0). In the day's other match, Rahmatganj Muslim Friend Society beat Chittagong Abahani 1-0 at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj. After a barren first, Mohammad Enamul scored the winner for Old Dhaka club Rahmatganj MFS in the 79th minute (1-0). Rahmatganj MFS advanced to the eighth spot in the league table, securing eight points from as many matches. Chittagong Abahani remained in 10th place with four points from eight matches.    

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will pay homage to language martyrs and mark the month of language during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) matches Friday. All commentators and hosts will don specially designed attires with the Bengali alphabet imprinted on them tomorrow. They also will delve into the rich history and importance of International Mother Language Day during the matches, in both English and Bangla. This will be an exceptional moment for Bangladeshi fans, as the commentators will provide commentary in Bangla and non-Bengali commentators will also try to incorporate some Bangla words into their commentaries, said the BCB. Before the start of the matches, players will be interviewed in Bangla. English will be used only if a non-Bengali player is named the player of the match. The post-match presentations and interviews will also be conducted in Bangla to underscore the reverence for the mother tongue. All players, match officials, commentators, and hosts will don special armbands with the Bangla alphabet printed on them to express their support for the language. To enhance the celebration, a selection of words from the month of language will be showcased on the giant screen in the field. Bangladesh observes Amar Ekushey – the Language Martyrs Day (Shaheed Day) and the International Mother Language Day – on February 21 to mark the supreme sacrifice of the language heroes in 1952 for upholding the right to speak their mother tongue Bangla. The day is also observed around the world as UNESCO on November 17, 1999, recognised the Ekushey February as International Mother Language Day to celebrate the importance of linguistic and cultural diversity. Read more: PM opens Ekushey Book Fair 2023 in person for first time in 3 years