The upcoming edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is set to be a shorter, more focused tournament featuring five teams, scheduled to take place from mid-December to mid-January, BPL Governing Council secretary Iftikhar Rahman Mithu announced on Saturday. The decision comes amid tight scheduling constraints due to the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in February 2026.
Speaking at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Iftikhar Rahman Mithu explained that the BPL management prioritised completing the tournament within a narrow one-month window to avoid clashes with the international calendar.
“The board has decided to host the BPL from mid-December to mid-January. Given the short window we have this year, we are comfortable with five teams. That doesn't mean it can't be six or seven in the future, but our priority is to stage a five-team BPL within a one-month window,” Iftikhar said as quoted by Cricbuzz
“We have to finish in the month of January. The window he mentioned, we have to finish before the February World Cup. I am not saying that it cannot be six or seven but at this point we are comfortable running it with five teams in this one-month window. So, our priority is the first five teams. We are starting fresh this year. The Expression of Interest (EOI) will be announced tomorrow.
Will Fortune Barishal feature?
In a related development, there is uncertainty surrounding the participation of reigning champions Fortune Barishal. The franchise, led by Tamim Iqbal, recently announced a boycott of all cricket activities under the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s current leadership, referring to Aminul Islam’s term as illegitimate.
However, Iftikhar expressed hope that Fortune Barishal would reconsider their stance and join the competition.
“My request is that it would be good if they (Fortune Barishal team) come. I can't force anyone to come. We welcome them; they have run their team well and we have never had any complaints. So, we always want well-managed teams like theirs to participate. We are open, but we can't force anyone. From my perspective, considering the effort they put in and the following they built in Barishal... my request is that it would be good if they came," he said.