Neither team arrived on time for the toss in today's first Bangladesh Premier League match. Here's why.
Noakhali Express, Chattogram Royals fail to show up for toss
Noakhali Express and Chattogram Royals were set to face off in the 25th match of the 2025/26 season, at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. With the match scheduled to begin at 1:00pm local time, the toss was scheduled for 12:30pm. However, as the toss time came and went, neither team had arrived at the ground.
This set of circumstances was not unforeseen. Reports emerged yesterday that players in Bangladesh had threatened to boycott today's games.
Match 25, Chattogram Royals vs Noakhali Express
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Why are players striking in the Bangladesh Premier League?
The issue stems from a comment made by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Najmul Islam. Amid the confusion over whether Bangladesh will travel to India for the T20 World Cup, Najmul told the media that the board would not owe compensation to the players if the team did not play their matches scheduled in India.
“The question [of compensation] does not even arise,” he was quoted as saying by the Daily Star. “We have invested so much on them [the players]. They haven’t been able to achieve anything, anywhere. Have we won a single global trophy till now?” Najmul said.
“Then we could’ve said every time, you have failed to perform, whatever we have spent on you, now we will take it back. Return it to us.”
Read more here: Will Bangladesh travel to India for the T20 World Cup? Everything we know so far
The Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) then held internal discussions with the BCB, following which the board released a statement expressing its regret, and distancing itself from Najmul's comments, saying, “the BCB reiterates that it does not endorse or take responsibility for any statement or remark made by any director or board member unless issued formally through the board’s designated spokesperson or the Media & Communications Department.”
Earlier this month, Najmul had also courted controversy when he called former Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent” in a social media post, after Tamim suggested the BCB consider the ramifications of their hard-line stance on refusing to travel to India for the World Cup.
How did the situation escalate?
Despite the BCB's statement of regret, CWAB president Mohammad Mithun told the media on Wednesday night that the organisation demanded that Najmul resign from his post as director, and that a "boycott of all cricket" was on the table.
A press release on Thursday morning from the BCB said that “the Board has already initiated formal disciplinary proceedings against the Board member concerned. A show-cause letter has been issued, and the individual has been instructed to submit a written response within 48 hours. The matter will be dealt with through due process, and appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of the proceedings.”
However, even this has not proven enough for the cricketers to relent. Mithun is set to address the media at 2:30pm local time, following which more clarity is expected on the status of the BPL matches. The second game of the day is scheduled for 6:00pm local time, between the Rajshahi Warriors and Sylhet Titans.
Image credit: Instagram/bplt20officialbd
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