The inaugural day, a Friday, presents a double-header, with the Sylhet Strikers battling the Chattogram Challengers in the second match of the day.

Weekdays, including Saturdays, will feature day matches beginning at 1:30 pm and night fixtures scheduled for a 6:30 pm start. Meanwhile, weekend fixtures will kick off at 2:00 pm for day matches and 7:00 pm for night matches.

The initial eight matches, concluding on January 23, will be held in Dhaka. Subsequently, the action shifts to Sylhet, hosting a total of 12 matches until February 3. Following this, the tournament returns to Dhaka for eight matches, running through February 10.

Chattogram, the port city, will host 12 matches, commencing on February 13, before teams return to Dhaka for the final two group-stage matches and the subsequent knockout phase.

The Eliminator is scheduled for February 25, followed by Qualifier-1 on the same day. After a day’s break, the second Qualifier will determine the other finalist. The tournament will culminate on March 1.

Cricket fans can mark their calendars for the tenth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League, scheduled to take place from January 10 to February 2024. The stage is set for another exciting season, with Mohammad Rizwan’s retention adding to the anticipation of thrilling cricket action.

Coming to the eighth season, Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) saw something different. In all categories of bat-ball, the domestic cricketers dominate the foreign stars. In bowling as well as in batting, the desi rule. At the top is Tanveer Islam of champion Comilla Victorians.

Comilla Victorians won the trophy for the fourth time after defeating Sylhet Strikers. Through this, the curtain came down on the eighth season of the BPL, which has been going on for almost two months. For the readers of RisingBD, this report is about the top 5 cricketers with the ball in this season of BPL.

This spinner of Comilla Victorians has taken 17 wickets in a left-arm spin. Tanveer has made a great contribution to becoming the champion. In the final too, Inform Touhid Hriday returned the second over, for zero runs. He gave 6.36 runs per over. The best performer at 4 wickets for 33 runs. Tanveer won a prize of Tk 5 lakh for being the highest wicket-taker.

Hasan Mahmud has consistently bowled great among the domestic pacers. He also took 17 wickets in 14 matches. Gave 7.98 runs per over. The best performance was 3 wickets for 12 runs. His team Rangpur lost in the second qualifier. Hasan also received Tk 5 lakh jointly with Tanveer.

Nasir Hossain
Nasir Hossain returned to form in this year’s BPL. He is third with 366 runs with the bat and 16 wickets with the ball. Although Dhaka Dominators did not win, Nasir spread the light. This all-rounder led Dhaka at 6.81 runs per over. The best performance was 4 wickets for 20 runs. His team did not make the playoffs.

Azmatullah Omarzai
Azmatullah Omarzai has contributed a lot to Rangpur Riders in reaching the playoffs. He has taken 15 matches in 11 matches with 7.17 runs per over. Rangpur could not play him in two playoff matches despite such a great performance. Best performance 3was wickets for 17 runs. Azmatullah had to sit in the dugout replacing Dwayne Bravo. He is the only foreigner among the top five bowlers. The position is fourth.

Rubel Hossain
Sylhet strikers could not win the trophy despatching the final. Sylhet supporters can blame Rubel for this. He gave 23 runs in the 17th over with the ball after missing the catch at the start. Where Comilla needed 52 runs in 4 overs! Comilla took out the match easily in this one over. However, Rubel played great throughout the tournament. He took 14 wickets with 8.52 runs in just 8 matches performing 4 wickets for 37 runs.

The BPL trophy traveled around on the metro rail. In the photo session before the final, like last time, Imrul Kayes’ hand was on the trophy. At the end of the final, the trophy was in his hands. Will the same scene be repeated this time? History speaks for him. Because his team Comilla Victorians lost in the final, never before.

Undefeated in the final, Comilla’s eyes are on the fourth title. A thorn in the side of the reigning champions is Sylhet Strikers, who have never played in a final. They had played the playoffs only once before, that too in 2013. Sylhet lags on paper. But there is history for them too. Because the leader of the team is Mashrafe Mortaza, who has never lost a final. Won the title twice for Dhaka and once each for Comilla and Rangpur in five years. His team won the championship four times after playing the final four times.

This time Mashrafe is leading Sylhet like a magician. They were the favorites after winning the first five matches in this tournament. The top team in the league has made it to the playoffs. They are a qualified team in the finals. Mashrafe’s magic and Comilla’s experience will fight in this final. Comilla has defeated Sylhet twice in this tournament. Although they lost in the first appearance, Imrul sees no reason to take Sylhet lightly as an opponent. Because of the way they started the tournament and are coming into the final. It is to their credit. They played very good cricket. Especially those who have local cricketers who have played very good cricket. Sylhet is a strong team. We have to play good cricket only then is it possible (to be champions).”It is said that the batting depth of both teams is very high but bowling is the main strength.

Comilla’s Andre Russell along with Mustafizur Rahman, Tanbir Islam, Moeen Ali, and Mukidul Islam are bowling well. Sylhet’s Shakib, Rubel Luke Wood, and George Linde are shining. Bowling is expected to make a difference in the final. Imrul also said almost the same thing, ‘Both the bowling is strong, I think. The last could not have been played if the bowling of the two teams was not strong. This decision is made on the field (who is stronger). It is difficult to say here.

Sylhet is far behind Comilla in terms of name. However, Mashrafe believes that Sylhet will get a big success if they can keep their nerves under control and keep the process that they have been successful in. Although the Comilla team is much better than any other team in this tournament. But that doesn’t mean we can’t play with them with confidence. If we can focus on ourselves if can contribute to important places, then why not? But I don’t have magic. The boys are playing well. Hopefully, another match will be played well. The curtain of the Bangladesh Premier League will come down today after the battle of seven teams for about a month and a half. We will have to wait for a few more hours to find out which team will have the last laugh. Comilla and Sylhet will face each other in Mirpur at 6:30 pm Bangladesh time, and Nagorik TV will broadcast live.

Mashrafe’s captaincy magic aside. On the other side is the charisma of coach Salahuddin. The battle between Sylhet Strikers and Comilla Victorians should be enjoyable for BPL viewers. And because of the play-off fight, the heat is increasing even more. Sylhet Strikers have lost the top spot in this year’s BPL. At the start of the season, they were somewhat out of touch. Despite stumbling in 3 matches, Mashrafe Bin Mortza’s team has reached the playoffs from the top with 18 points in 12 matches. On the other hand, despite not getting a flying start like Sylhet, the way Comilla has turned around, the other teams are afraid.

Many people laughed at the defending champions after losing the first 3 matches. But they are second in the table before the playoffs. Stars like Andre Russell and Sunil Narine have already joined to increase the strength of the team. England’s World Cup-winning all-rounder Moeen Ali has also joined this time. The Victorians are full of confidence with such a squad. On the other hand, Sylhet’s foreign collection is not as rich as Comilla’s. Mashrafe misses Amir-Imad’s service back home. Berl-Gulbadin and recruit South African left-arm spin all-rounder George Lindle to have to be trusted. Sylhet-Comilla won one each in the league stage. Even if they lose in the first qualifier, the dream of the final will remain alive for both teams. There will be another chance. However, both Chinese teams do not want to rely on the second qualifier.

Comilla Victorians and Rangpur Riders face each other on Friday (February 10) in an important match. Rangpur won the toss and sent Comilla into bat in the first qualifier match. The fight in the points table is going on between Rangpur and Comilla. They have 16 points by playing equal matches. However, in terms of net run rate, Rangpur is second and Comilla is third. As per the points table, the North Bengal franchise is leading the last five times.

Comilla Victorians: Mohammad Rizwan, Liton Das, Imrul Kayes (captain), Mosaddeq Hossain, Zaker Ali, Andre Russell, Khushdil Shah, Sunil Narine, Mukidul Islam, Tanveer Islam, and Mustafizur Rahman.

Rangpur Riders: Nurul Hasan (captain), Mohammad Naeem, Rahmatullah Gurbaz, Roni Talukder, Shamim Hossain, Azmatullah Omarzai, Tom Cadmore, Rakibul Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Ripon Mandal and Naveen-ul-Haq.

Fortune Barisal and Comilla Victorians have already confirmed the last four. This time, the teams of Shakib Al Hasan and Imrul Qais faced each other in the battle of the top two. For that purpose, two Caribbean stars Sunil Narine and Andre Russell will play for Comilla.

Fortune Barisal and Comilla Victorians will meet at Mirpur Sher-e Bangla Stadium on Tuesday (February 7). Comilla won the toss and decided to field first in the match. Both the teams played 10 matches and got 7 wins each. Barisal is in the second position on the table with the same points. Comilla is third behind in run rate. Those who will win this time will advance to the fight for the top two. Mohammad Rizwan, Liton Das, Imrul Kayes (captain), Mosaddek Hossain, Andre Russell, Zaker Ali, Sunil Narine, Tanveer Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Mukidul Islam, and Khushdil Shah.Enamul Haque, Fazle Mahmud, Chaturanga de Silva, Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Iftikhar Ahmed, Karim Janat, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehdi Hasan Miraj, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Khaled Ahmed and Ebadat Hossain.

There is no DRS in BPL, there is a strange thing called ‘ADRS’! Many years ago, such technology was used in cricket. In the current ninth edition, all the ridiculous decisions are coming in these ADRS. As happened in Sunday’s Match between Comilla Victorians vs Fortune Barisal. Comilla’s batsman Zaker Ali was strangely declared out by the third umpire. Comilla head coach Mohammad Salahuddin has expressed his anger over the ADRS.

In the 14th over of Comilla’s innings, Barisal’s off-spinner Iftikhar Ahmed’s ball went to Zaker Ali’s leg. When the appeal was made, the on-field umpire declared lbw. Zaker immediately took the review. Tv replays clearly show that almost the entire ball was outside the leg stump line. There may be a very small part inside. According to ICC rules, the batter will be declared out only if most of the ball is in line. However, tv umpire Tanvir Ahmed upheld the decision of the on-field umpire.

At the post-match press conference, Comilla coach Salahuddin said, “I think it is better not to have ADRS than to have it. Whatever the umpire gives, it is better to give it (by keeping it). It’s pitched just outside the leg stump, it’s not like that. I think one or two decisions… There was a bad decision in the first match, even today. It seems to me… Don’t know! However, it is better not to have such a DRS. ’

Asked if he would protest the umpire’s decision, the Comilla coach said, “What can I do? We have nothing to do. We shout on the field, do you want it? That’s how it will be suspended. All right! As the game goes on. There’s no point in protesting. We will give in writing or protest that there is no point in doing so. There will be no benefit. There’s really nothing to do. Hands and feet are tied. What else will happen!”

Salahuddin had earlier criticized the ADRS system. This time he had to face a big punishment.

Afridi suffered a knee injury during a Test match against Sri Lanka in July last year. After this, he had to stay out of the field for about three and a half months. He injured his knee again in the final match of the T20 World Cup in November. Since then, he is still out of the field.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) issued an official statement on Monday on Afridi’s injury update. It said that one of the best fast bowlers of the time started the rehabilitation process on Monday.

“Shaheen Afridi will begin the rehabilitation process on Monday under the supervision of the national team’s medical team in Karachi. Through this, the best care can be taken of Shaheen, as well as the medical staff will be able to monitor his progress and help smoothen the process of his return. ’

According to ESPNcricinfo, Afridi will return to the field with the PSL in February. In that case, Comilla will have to play the entire BPL season without the star pacer. However, nothing is known from the management of Comilla yet.