Abdullah Al Mehdi

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) governing council promised a unique 12th edition, and that promise appears to be upheld -- but only because all the wrong elements are present.

Batting crises have long been a recurring feature for Bangladesh, and the attempts to manage them often appear tentative -- driven more by hope than by evidence-backed planning.

In age-level or Emerging teams' tournaments, results are secondary as the primary focus is on gauging performances rather than bringing home trophies. From that perspective, Bangladesh 'A' team's campaign in the Asia Cup Rising Stars in Doha, Qatar, was a success despite their heartbreaking defeat in the final.

"Cricket is a game where, even after 20 years, you can experience many new things." he said.

Accolades were bestowed and heartfelt tributes flowed as Mushfiqur Rahim became the first Bangladeshi to enter the 100-Test club against Ireland in Dhaka on Wednesday. But for the celebrations to feel truly complete, it needed the history-maker himself to produce something special.

Fresh from his Test debut earlier this year and carrying experience from a few ICC events, Sakib spoke to The Daily Star's Abdullah Al Mehdi about his game and his affinity towards first-class and Test cricket.

The Mount Maunganui Test in January 2022, when Bangladesh beat the then ICC World Test Championship holders New Zealand in their own backyard, remains their biggest achievement in the five-day format till date.

With few local leagues and limited opportunities, Sylhet reflects the absence of a cricketing ecosystem that rewards continuity and representation.

Day 3 of the Sylhet Test against Ireland on Thursday began with a couple of setbacks for Bangladesh, as two set batters fell inside 19 deliveries of the start.

Rubya Haider Jhelik hit a match-winning half-century on ODI debut to help Bangladesh start their 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup campaign with a win. But Jhelik’s form and the Tigresses' fortunes, dipped from then on. Jhelik is now undergoing specific drills to improve her footwork with an eye on the upcoming T20 World Cup qualifiers.

Former Bangladesh women’s cricket team skipper Jahanara Alam’s recent allegations of sexual harassment against members of team management have rocked the country’s sporting fraternity, who have called for an independent inquiry and a strong response against the alleged perpetrators if proven guilty.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), now under the leadership of Aminul Islam Bulbul, has seen changes in its board of directors following the recent election -- but the state of the country’s domestic cricket has grown even grimmer.

"It’s no longer the time to think about just playing well, or winning two or three matches," says Bangladesh batter Sharmin Supta.

Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM) on Sunday announced that the next edition of the First Division Cricket League will begin on November 18, however, many of the participating clubs are unhappy with CCDM's announcement and as their demand of deferring the league was ignored.

Under the captaincy of Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh's success rate stands at just 23 percent -- three wins in 13 matches. Even Miraz's own performance graph has dipped, both as a batter and a bowler, since being entrusted with the ODI armband.

The lack of depth in the player's pipeline is an oft-repeated cliché in Bangladesh cricket and was on display yet again by Thursday's squad announcement for the upcoming ODI series against West Indies, starting on October 18.

After a three-wicket, last-over loss to South Africa in Vizag on Monday, most players were left in tears in the dressing room, but the camp's mood had brightened by the next day following retrospection.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) board of directors' election on October 6 has divided the 76 clubs in Dhaka Metropolis into two distinct camps, as while some 40 of them have called for a domestic boycott, the others have adopted compliant silence.

Former Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque remained tight-lipped on whether he worked on his game in Australia during a recent visit but divulged on the continued frustrations over poor wickets in T20s, sub-standard domestic four-day cricket and the need for players to find their own ways to improve in an exclusive interview with The Daily Star’s Abdullah Al Mehdi.

Incessant rain has finally forced the postponement of the NCL T20 tournament for an indefinite period, the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) tournament committee confirmed yesterday.