Bangladesh Cricketers End Boycott and Resume BPL 2025-26 Season
After a brief boycott in response to controversial remarks made by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Nazmul Islam, the country’s cricketers have decided to return to the field for the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26 season.
Following a tripartite meeting between the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) and the BCB, the issues have been resolved, and the players will be back in action starting Friday. As a result, there have been minor adjustments to the BPL schedule.
The controversy stemmed from Nazmul Islam’s comments, including calling former Bangladesh captain Tamil Iqbal an “Indian agent” for suggesting dialogue between cricketing nations regarding the release of pacer Mustafizur Rahman by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) from IPL 2026. Nazmul also stated that BCB does not owe the team any compensation if players miss the T20 World Cup, citing their lack of major trophies.
In response, the players initially boycotted all cricket activities and demanded Nazmul’s removal from the BCB. While Nazmul was relieved of his duties as head of the finance committee, he retained his position as BCB director. Despite this, the cricketers have decided to end their boycott and resume playing.
As a result of the resolution, the BPL 2026 matches originally scheduled for January 15, 2026 (Chattogram Royals vs Noakhali Express and Rajshahi Warriors vs Sylhet Titans) have been moved to Friday, January 16. Matches initially set for January 16 and 17 will now take place on January 17 and 18, respectively.
Additionally, the Eliminator and Qualifier 1, originally planned for January 19, have been rescheduled to January 20.
