The 11th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) kicks off on Monday (Dec 30) with the cricket frenzy already hitting the fever pitch. As has been the case, the hype of BPL captivated the fans whose enthusiasm for a ticket of the first match of BPL was palpable. Since morning, crowds have been gathering around the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium for tickets. Fans said they waited for hours for physical tickets in front of the stadium but were unable to reach anyone in that regard. The BCB, however, later informed that tickets can be purchased both online and physically from the seven designated branches of the Modhumoti Bank PLC.
Defending champions Fortune Barishal will take on new comer Durbar Rajshahi to open the 50-day-long spectacle. The match starts at 1.30 p.m. Dhaka Capitals will face off Rangpur Riders in the second match of the day which starts at 7 p.m.
Both of the matches will be held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Chattogram's Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium and Sylhet International Cricket Stadium are the other two venues of the tournament.
The BPL will move first to Sylhet where it will be held from Jan 6-13. Chattogram will then host the tournament from Jan 16-23. Later, Mirpur will host the remaining matches of the tournament including the playoffs and final from Jan 26-Feb 7.
Earlier, the BCB unveiled the youth festival ceremony and unmasked of mascot before staging a music fest to announce the arrival of the BPL. Now the show is going to get the full fulfillment as the cricket is set to take the center stage.
Updated squad of all seven teams:
Dhaka Capitals
Local players: Mustafizur Rahman, Liton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Munim Shahriar, Sabbir Rahman, Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Mukidul Islam Mugdho, Nazmul Islam Apu, Abu Jayed Rahi, Rahmatullah Ali, Mehedi Hasan Rana, Asif Hasan and Habibur Rahman Sohan.
Foreign players: Thisara Perera, Johnson Charles, Stephen Eskinazi, Chaturanga de Silva, Zahoor Khan, Shahnawaz Dahani, Riaz Hassan, Amir Hamza, Farmanullah Safi, Jean Pierre Kotze and Shubham Shubhash Ranjana.
Sylhet Strikers
Local players: Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Zakir Hasan, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Ariful Haque, Jaker Ali Anik, Rony Talukder, Al-Amin Hossain, Md Ruyel Miah, Nihaduzzaman, Nahidul Islam, Mehedi Hasan Shohag, Tipu Sultan and Zawad Abrar.
Foreign players: Paul Stirling, Geroge Munsey, Rahkeem Cornwall, Samiullah Shinwari, Reece Topley, Aaron Jones and Jon Russ Jaggesar.
Rangpur Riders
Local players: Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahedi Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Saif Hassan, Rakibul Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Kamrul Islam, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Nahid Rana, Irfan Sukkur, Tawfiq Khan Tushar and Azizul Hakim Tamim.
Foreign players: Alex Hales, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sediqullah Atal, Khushdil Shah, Curtis Campher, Steven Taylor and Akif Javed.
Durbar Rajshahi
Local players: Taskin Ahmed, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Jishan Alam, Akbar Ali, Sunzamul Islam, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Sabbir Hossain, Hasan Murad, Shafiul Islam, Mohor Sheikh Antor, S.M Mehrob Hasan and Mizanur Rahman.
Foreign players: Mohammad Haris, Arafat Minhaj, Ryan Burl, Saad Naseem, Lahiru Samarakoon and Salman Mirza.
Fortune Barishal
Local players: Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Ripon Mondol, Ebadot Hossain, Nayeem Hasan, Tanvir Islam, Rishad Hossain, Taijul Islam, Shohidul Islam, Ariful Islam, Pritom Kumar and Iqbal Hasan Emon.
Foreign players: James Fuller, Pathum Nissanka, Kyle Mayers, Dawid Malan, Mohammad Nabi, Faheem Ashraf, Ali Mohammad, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Imran and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Khulna Tigers
Local players: Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Afif Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mohammad Naim, Imrul Kayes, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Abu Hider Rony, Ziaur Rahman, Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Rubel Hossain.
Foreign players: Oshane Thomas, Mohammad Hasnain, Lewis Gregory, Mohammad Nawaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli and Salman Irshad.
Chittagong Kings
Local players: Shakib Al Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Shamim Hossain, Parvez Hossain Emon, Khaled Ahmed, Aliss Al Islam, Mohammad Mithun, Naeem Islam, Maruf Mridha, Rahatul Ferdous Javed, Sheikh Parvez Jibon, Marshall Ayub, Nabil Samad and Ifran Hossain.
Foreign players: Moeen Ali, Usman Khan, Haider Ali, Angelo Mathews, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Binura Fernand, Graham Clarke, Thomas O'Connell, Khawaja Nafay, Lahiru Milantha, Zubairullah Akbari, Mohammad Hussain Tallat and Ali Raza.
