Updated 16 January 2026 at 12:40 IST
Bangladesh Cricketers Set To Resume BPL Play Following BCB Official's Ouster Upon Controversial Take
Bangladesh cricketers end their BPL boycott after talks with BCB and CWAB, despite Nazmul Islam staying on as director following his ‘Indian agent’ remark about Tamim Iqbal. Players return to action on Friday.
The cricketers of Bangladesh are all set to return to the field after boycotting the action during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The cricketers' boycott stemmed from BCB director Nazmul Islam's controversial remarks in labelling Tamim Iqbal as an 'Indian agent'.
Tamim Iqbal had suggested resolving the ongoing standoff between the BCB and the BCCI ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. This led to the BCB director's disputed remark, leading to backlash from the cricketers.
Following the backlash over the inclusion of Mustafizur Rahman in KKR, the BCCI advised letting go of the Bangladesh fast bowler amid the atrocities against the minority Hindus in Bangladesh. It further strained Indo-Bangla cricketing ties as the BCB chickened out of travelling to India, citing safety concerns.
Bangladesh Cricket Reverse Boycott, BPL To Resume
The Bangladesh cricketers will return to action in BPL 2025-26 following a tripartite meet between the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). The situation is said to be resolved, and the players will return to the field on Friday.
The cricketers had demanded the removal of Nazmul Islam from his duties as the BCB director, following which the Board removed him from his duties as head of the finance committee.
However, the person who labelled Tamim Iqbal as an 'Indian Agent' has not stepped down from the position of director in the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
Despite the non-removal of Nazmul Islam from the BCB, the players have agreed to call off the boycott and resume playing.
Major Shifts Announced In BPL 2025-26 Schedule
The boycott of Bangladesh's players has led to a major shift in BPL's schedule. The league matches that were supposed to take place on January 15 will now take place on the following day (January 16, 2026).
The Bangladesh Premier League matches that were supposed to take place on January 16 and 17 have been shifted a day forward. They will now take place on January 17 and 18, 2026.
The Eliminator and Qualifier 1 matches, which were scheduled to take place on January 19, have also been shifted to January 20, 2026.
Published By : Pavitra Shome
Published On: 16 January 2026 at 11:17 IST