Bangladesh Premier League embroiled in match-fixing scandal: Key details
What's the story
The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is embroiled in a major scandal, with multiple teams and players being implicated in match-fixing. The controversy centers around the last BPL season, which concluded in February 2025 with Fortune Barishal's three-wicket victory. An investigation by Prothom Alo has revealed that the BPL investigation committee flagged 36 suspicious incidents during this season. Here are further details.
Player involvement
Two Bangladesh internationals involved in fixing
The report stated that suspicious incidents in the last BPL season included "strange batting and bowling patterns." Around 10-12 players have been flagged for their involvement, including two active Bangladesh internationals - a fast bowler and an off-spinner. Domestic players were also caught deliberately bowling wides and poor deliveries to influence match results.
Committee explanation
Why was the report released?
The release of a preliminary report has raised questions, but BPL investigation committee member Khaled H Chowdhury intervened. He said it was important to share early findings before the new BPL season starts. Therefore, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) could become cautious about franchise selections and player drafts for the upcoming season.
Evidence classification
Players categorized based on evidence strength
The players implicated in the match-fixing scandal have been classified into categories based on the strength of evidence against them. Three to four cricketers were marked as "highly flagged" with strong proof, while others were labeled as "medium" or "low flagged." One of those accused was part of a recent national team tour to Sri Lanka.
Official involvement
BCB officials also involved in fixing
The match-fixing scandal has also implicated a BCB sub-committee member, who allegedly facilitated deals with franchises. Notably, officials from Durbar Rajshahi, Sylhet Strikers, and Dhaka Capitals have also confessed to their involvement in fixing. The probe has suggested that all accused players and officials should be suspended until proven innocent.
Illegal activities
Illegal betting ads and match-fixing offers
The investigation also uncovered that some TV channels were illegally airing betting ads, making nearly 170-180 crore taka in the process. In a shocking incident from the 2023-24 season, a franchise was allegedly "offered 40 billion taka" to lose a match. Although it remains unclear whether they accepted or not, they didn't report the offer as per rules.