Match fixing has been an unavoidable obstacle in cricket since decades. While the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has intensified its activities across the globe, it hasn't been able to breach the T20 leagues conducted by respective countries. Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has often been scarred by match fixing and this even forced the tournament to be suspended for a few years.
As the renewed BPL tournament heads to the 2026 season, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is leaving no stone unturned in upping the quality of the event. For the first time since 2012-13, BPL will see an auction model instead of the long-standing draft system and on Saturday (November 29), the BCB prepared the final list of players that would go under the hammer, and there is a big twist in it.
According to reports, eight capped BPL players, three of whom have represented Bangladesh, have been axed from the final list of domestic players for the BPL auction. Sources say that these players have been excluded due to objectionable activities in the 2025 BPL season and this has resulted in them being bracketed in the red flag zone. The activities allegedly include match fixing as the major offence.
Anamul Haque Bijoy, Mosaddek Hossain and Shafiul Islam are the major names in the list with the trio having represented the country at the highest level. The others are Alauddin Babu, Sunzamul Islam, Mizanur Rahman, Nihaduzzaman and Munir Hasan Khan. These cricketers were flagged for their alleged acts that offend the integrity of the game, thereby bringing BPL and BCB into disrepute.
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While only eight players have been officially axed from the list, detailed investigations by a three-member committee found at least 10 more players to be involved but as things stand, lack of evidence appears to have given those players a lifeline. However, more updates are expected from the BCB on this topic.
The BPL auction for the 2026 season is slated to be held on Sunday (November 30).
