The 11th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is set to begin on December 30 at Mirpur. However, the excitement has already started a week earlier with the Dhaka leg of the BPL Music Fest held on Monday, December 23, marking the official kickoff of the tournament festivities. BCB President Faruk Ahmed and Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud graced the stage, with the latter inaugurating the tournament under the theme "A New BPL for a New Bangladesh," recalling the transformation after the July revolution. The event featured electrifying performances by artists like Jafar, Muza, and Sanjay, followed by renowned band Miles and a grand finale performance by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. The night concluded with a spectacular fireworks display around the stadium. The Music Fest will continue in Chattogram on December 25 and conclude in Sylhet on December 27. Afterward, the on-field competition begins. Teams and Matches This season features seven teams: Dhaka Capitals Chittagong Kings Durbar Rajshahi Fortune Barishal Khulna Tigers Rangpur Riders Sylhet Strikers The opening match will see Fortune Barishal face Durbar Rajshahi, followed by a second match between Rangpur Riders and Dhaka Capitals on the same day. The group stage concludes on February 1 with a match between Barishal and Chittagong Kings. Venues and Schedule: Mirpur, Dhaka: First 8 matches (Dec 30 - Jan 5) Sylhet: 12 matches (Jan 6 - Jan 13) Chattogram: 12 matches (Jan 16 - Jan 23) Dhaka Final Leg: Eliminator, Qualifiers, and Final (Jan 26 - Feb 7) Key dates include: Eliminator & 1st Qualifier: February 3 2nd Qualifier: February 5 Final: February 7 To ease ticketing, the BCB has introduced an e-ticketing system, allowing fans to purchase tickets from the comfort of their homes. Let the cricketing excitement begin!

Just days ago, Bangladesh’s U-19 team brought home the Asia Cup title by defeating India. This time, the Bangladeshi girls had a similar opportunity—not only to win the title but also to avenge their Super Four loss against India. However, they couldn’t seize the chance, losing to India in the Asia Cup final by a significant margin of 41 runs. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Bangladesh restricted India to 117 runs for 7 wickets, sparking hopes of a championship win. But the batters faltered, and the team was bowled out for just 76 runs in 18.3 overs, falling short of their dream.

Tarique Rahman, Acting Chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) , extended his heartfelt congratulations to the Bangladesh Cricket Team for their impressive 3-0 clean sweep in the T20 series against the West Indies.  Sharing his message on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Rahman praised the team's exceptional performance, highlighting their dedication, teamwork, and extraordinary skills that led to the remarkable victory. "Congratulations to the Bangladesh Cricket Team on their outstanding 3-0 clean sweep in the T20 series against the West Indies. This remarkable achievement is a testament to your unwavering dedication, exceptional teamwork, and extraordinary skills on the field. Such victories not only showcase your talent but also inspire millions across the nation, reinforcing the pride and passion we hold for cricket," he wrote. Expressing optimism for the future, Rahman added, "As you continue to raise the bar, may this success propel you toward even greater accomplishments on the international stage. The entire nation stands united in celebrating your triumph." The clean sweep by the Bangladesh team has sparked widespread jubilation across the country, with fans and public figures alike applauding the players for their stellar performance.

Bangladesh Sweeps West Indies with an 80-Run Victory After the disappointment of being whitewashed by the West Indies in ODIs, the Tigers redeemed themselves in style, handing the hosts a T20 series whitewash on their own turf, bringing joy to their fans. On Friday (December 20), at the Arnos Vale Ground in St. Vincent, Bangladesh defeated the West Indies by a massive 80 runs in the third and final T20 match of the series. Batting first after winning the toss, Bangladesh set an imposing target of 190 runs. In response, the West Indies suffered an early setback when Brandon King was dismissed by Taskin Ahmed for a duck in the first over. After a brief rain interruption, Sheikh Mahedi struck in the very next over, further unsettling the hosts. Bangladesh had never won a T20 series on West Indies soil before. This time, after achieving that milestone, the Tigers made history by whitewashing the hosts for the first time. This marks the second time Bangladesh has whitewashed an opponent in an away series consisting of three or more matches. Overall, it’s the third time Bangladesh has achieved a T20 series whitewash, with the previous instances being against Ireland and England. In the mission to complete the whitewash, Bangladesh set a challenging target of 190 runs for the West Indies. The hosts stumbled right at the start, losing two wickets within just seven runs. Taskin Ahmed trapped Brandon King LBW for a duck on the second ball of the innings, and Sheikh Mahedi removed Justin Greaves (6 off 5) in the next over. Nicholas Pooran and Johnson Charles then built a 38-run partnership off 24 balls. However, Mahedi broke the stand by bowling Pooran (15 off 10) in the sixth over. In the following over, Hasan Mahmud dismissed Roston Chase for a duck, while Charles (23 off 18) fell to a direct hit from Rishad Hossain at midwicket. Three wickets fell for just one run, pushing the West Indies out of contention. Captain Rovman Powell also failed to deliver, edging a delivery from Rishad Hossain to Liton Das. He managed only 2 runs off 12 balls. With the West Indies struggling at 60 for 6, Romario Shepherd tried to steady the innings with the lower order. However, Rishad struck twice in the 15th over, dismissing Gudakesh Motie and Alzarri Joseph in the space of four balls, effectively ending the fightback. Shepherd, realizing the battle was lost, gave away his wicket in the next over, caught off Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Shepherd top-scored for the West Indies with 33 off 27 balls, including one four and three sixes. The hosts were bowled out for 109 in 16.4 overs. Rishad Hossain was the standout bowler with figures of 3 wickets for 21 runs in 4 overs. Taskin Ahmed and Sheikh Mahedi each claimed 2 wickets, conceding 30 and 13 runs, respectively. Earlier, Bangladesh posted a formidable total of 189 for 7, thanks to a blistering innings from Zakir Ali, who smashed six sixes. Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Bangladesh skipper Liton Das saw a strong start from Parvez Hossain Emon, who scored 39 off 21 balls with four boundaries and two sixes. However, Liton managed only 14 off 13, and Tanzid Tamim added 9 off 9. Mehidy Hasan Miraz contributed 29 off 23 before Zakir stole the show. Zakir remained unbeaten with 72 off 41 balls, featuring 3 fours and 6 sixes, taking Bangladesh to 189. Tanzim Hasan Sakib chipped in with 17 off 12, hitting one boundary and one six.

Despite a modest target of just 129 runs in the second T20, Bangladesh pulled off an incredible victory against the West Indies—something even the most optimistic fans might not have anticipated. However, after witnessing the first T20, some supporters held on to hope, and the Tigers delivered another stunning performance. Bangladesh bowled out the Caribbean side for just 102 runs, securing a 27-run victory and clinching the series with one match to spare. Earlier, in the first T20, Bangladesh had claimed a thrilling 7-run win. The Tigers' red-and-green jerseys shone brightly as they celebrated this remarkable achievement, showcasing their bowling brilliance and resilience on foreign soil.

December 16 is Victory Day, a special day celebrated nationwide in Bangladesh. On this momentous occasion, the Tigers added to the celebrations by defeating the West Indies in a thrilling match in St. Vincent. Despite not posting a big total after losing the toss, Bangladesh managed to edge out the hosts by 7 runs. Batting first, the Tigers set a modest target of 148 runs, with Soumya Sarkar contributing a crucial 43 runs off 32 balls. In response, the West Indies faltered, losing wickets at regular intervals and getting bowled out for 140 with just one ball left in the match. From the outset, the West Indies batters struggled against the disciplined Bangladesh bowling attack. By the time they reached a team score of 38, they had already lost 5 wickets and were under immense pressure, unable to recover thereafter. Mehidy Hasan played a pivotal role with both bat and ball. After scoring a steady 26 off 24 balls, he shone with the ball, picking up two wickets in a single over during the 7th, pushing the hosts onto the back foot. Bangladesh’s innings began on a cautious note. However, after reaching 15 runs, opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim fell for 6 runs off 11 balls, bowled by Akeal Hosein. Captain Liton Das followed with a golden duck, leaving the team in a precarious position. Afif Hossain Dhrubo couldn't capitalize either, scoring just 8 off 11 balls before getting caught off Roston Chase’s delivery. However, Soumya Sarkar and Zakir Ali Anik stabilized the innings with a 57-run partnership off 42 balls. Their partnership ended when Zakir departed for 24 runs, followed by Soumya, who fell after scoring a crucial 43 off 32 balls. At the 15-over mark, Bangladesh’s score was just 95, and few would have predicted they’d cross 140. But Shamim Patwari, making his return to the national team after a year, played a quickfire 27 off 13 balls, supported by Mehidy Hasan. Their partnership pushed Bangladesh to 147/6 by the end of the innings. Shamim was dismissed on the second-last ball, and Rishad Hossain added two runs on the final delivery. For the West Indies, Akeal Hosein and McKoy took two wickets each, while Roston Chase and Shepherd picked up one each. Chasing 148, the West Indies never found momentum as the Bangladesh bowlers kept the pressure on. The hosts were reduced to 38/5 early on, and despite some resistance, they fell short by 7 runs, handing Bangladesh a memorable Victory Day triumph.

After a decade, Bangladesh faced a crushing defeat against the West Indies, who clinched the ODI series with a dominant seven-wicket victory in the second match. Chasing a target of 228, Shai Hope’s side secured the win with 13.5 overs to spare, claiming the series with one game left. The West Indies last defeated Bangladesh in an ODI series at home in 2014. On Tuesday (December 10) at Warner Park in St. Kitts, the West Indies ended their long wait for a series victory over Bangladesh. Led by Shai Hope, the hosts chased down the target in just 36.5 overs. Earlier, Bangladesh were bowled out for 227 in 45.5 overs after losing the toss and batting first. In response, the West Indies comfortably reached the target with 13.1 overs remaining. Opener Brandon King top-scored for the West Indies with 82 runs, while Evin Lewis and Keacy Carty contributed 49 and 45 runs, respectively. For Bangladesh, Rishad Hossain, Nahid Rana, and Afif Hossain each took one wicket. In the first ODI at the same venue, Bangladesh had scored 294 runs, but in this match, they failed to even surpass 230. Mahmudullah Riyad and Tanzim Hasan Sakib’s record 92-run partnership for the eighth wicket helped Bangladesh avoid an even more disastrous total. The West Indies dominated from the start of their chase. The opening pair of King and Lewis added 109 runs, putting Bangladesh out of contention. Both openers missed personal milestones, with Lewis dismissed for 49 and King for 82. Despite some resistance from the bowlers, the West Indies cruised to victory, with Hope unbeaten on 17 and Rutherford contributing 24 runs. Earlier in the day, Bangladesh’s batting collapsed under pressure. Soumya Sarkar departed for just 2 runs, followed by Liton Das (4 runs) and captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz (1 run). Tanzid Tamim’s brisk 46 off 33 balls provided some hope, but wickets fell regularly. Afif Hossain (24 runs) and Mahmudullah Riyad (62 runs) attempted to stabilize the innings, but the lack of support from other batters left Bangladesh struggling. Riyad and Tanzim’s partnership helped Bangladesh reach 227, but their efforts were not enough to avoid defeat. Riyad scored 62 off 92 balls, while Tanzim missed a half-century, scoring 45 off 62 balls. For the West Indies, Jayden Seales claimed 4 wickets for 22 runs, while Gudakesh Motie picked up 2 wickets. The third and final ODI will be held on December 12 at the same venue.