On Friday (January 31), the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Faruque Ahmed pledged to take strict actions against the cricketers and management officials involved in match-fixing or spot-fixing in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025.
Several reports revealed that the outcome of a few matches might be manipulated in the current 11th edition of the BPL.
It becomes clear that the BCB’s anti-corruption unit flagged eight such matches of the country’s top T20 franchise league tournament under suspicion of any misconduct activities.
The anonymous information and increased gossip prompted the board to cautiously evaluate the crisis. In addition, at least four of the seven participating teams and 10 cricketers are being investigated for illicit practices.
10 Cricketers Under the Scanner for Match-Fixing Scandal in BPL 2025
Out of 10 cricketers under surveillance by the ACU (Anti-Corruption Unit), six have already served the Bangladesh national cricket team, two uncapped Bangladeshi cricketers, and two are overseas players.
Considering the franchises, Durbar Rajshahi and Dhaka Capitals lead the list after being flagged 12 times for integrity violations. While Sylhet Strikers and Chittagong Kings are under the same scanner with six and two flags each.
Faruque Ahmed Unable to Make Any Official Comment on Match Fixing Allegations
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Faruque Ahmed conveyed that he is unable to make any official statement until the completion of the investigation. This is because the 58-year-old former Bangladeshi cricketer and the board members need to follow the strict protocols. Here’s what the BCB president said:
“Certainly! Right now I can’t make any official announcement until the investigation is completed as we need to follow strict protocols. The complete list and the events that occurred during the tournament are recorded, and the investigation will be carried out later,” Faruque Ahmed said.
According to the above statement, Faruque conveys that all the events and suspicions are documented for future investigations.
BCB’s President Strict Warning: Not to Spare Anyone Guilty
Faruque Ahmed voiced a strong warning that if any participant is deemed to be guilty during the investigation, they are certain to face severe disciplinary action, and the decision will be finalized:
“Yeah! If someone is caught during the investigation, then the punishment would be extremely harsh. If I find out, then it is certain that their life will be different because I am not ready to spare anyone guilty. Once the decision is taken, it will be effective,” the BCB president warned.
Eight Matches under Suspicion in BPL 2025
Based on the media reports, these are the eight matches BCB’s anti-corruption unit suspects in BPL 2025 that are prone to match-fixing or spot-fixing:
| Date and Day | Match | Venue | Winner | Winning Margin | Scores |
| January 06 (Monday) | Durbar Rajshahi vs Fortune Barishal | Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Sylhet | Fortune Barishal | 7 Wickets | Durbar Rajshahi: 168-4 in 20 overs Fortune Barishal: 169-3 in 17.3 overs |
| January 07 (Tuesday) | Dhaka Capitals vs Rangpur Riders | Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Sylhet | Rangpur Riders | 7 Wickets | Dhaka Capitals: 111-10 in 16.3 overs Rangpur Riders: 113-3 in 13.2 overs |
| January 10 (Friday) | Dhaka Capitals vs Sylhet Strikers | Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Sylhet | Sylhet Strikers | 3 Wickets | Dhaka Capitals: 193-6 in 20 overs Sylhet Strikers: 195-7 in 18.4 overs |
| January 12 (Sunday) | Dhaka Capitals vs Durbar Rajshahi | Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Sylhet | Dhaka Capitals | 149 Runs | Dhaka Capitals: 254-1 in 20 overs Durbar Rajshahi: 105-10 in 15.2 overs |
| January 13 (Monday) | Chittagong Kings vs Sylhet Strikers | Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Sylhet | Chittagong Kings | 30 Runs | Chittagong Kings: 203-6 in 20 overs Sylhet Strikers: 173-8 in 20 overs |
| January 22 (Wednesday) | Chittagong Kings vs Dhaka Capitals | Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram | Dhaka Capitals | 8 Wickets | Chittagong Kings: 148-6 in 20 overs Dhaka Capitals: 149-2 in 18.1 overs |
| Fortune Barishal vs Khulna Tigers | Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram | Fortune Barishal | 7 Runs | Fortune Barishal: 167-9 in 20 overs Khulna Tigers: 160-6 in 20 overs |
Final Thoughts:
Since the league’s inaugural season in 2012, the match-fixing isn’t a new offense in BPL. There have been countless instances where cricketers were involved in spot-fixing.
For example, former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful faced an eight-year ban (including a three-year suspension) by the BPL anti-corruption committee for involving in match-fixing in the 2013 season, which forced the BCB to postpone the tournament’s 2014 edition. However, the league returned in 2015 with six fresh franchises and was played in winter unlike the previous editions held in spring.
The BPL 2024-25 season nears the playoff stages starting with the high-voltage clash between the Fortune Barishal and Chittagong Kings in the Qualifier 1 round. The final match is scheduled to take place on February 07 (Friday).
Finally, the BCB’s fight against corruption is marked with full of challenges. The lure of players to accumulate money instantly and the pressure to perform can lead them trapped in the risky path of match-fixing.
