The defending champions, Fortune Barishal, who are owned by Fortune Shoes, have formally withdrawn from the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), leading to major turmoil ahead of the league’s upcoming five-season cycle. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will have to reevaluate its franchise structure for the 2025–2026 season as a result of the decision, which was made just weeks before the player draft.
According to reports, Barishal’s management had earlier requested a postponement of the new season, citing insufficient preparation time to build a competitive squad. However, with the BCB confirming that the next edition is likely to begin around December 19 and the player draft scheduled for November 17, their request was declined. This has ultimately led to the franchise’s exit from the league.
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