BPL Matches Postponed Following Death of Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has postponed both Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) matches scheduled for Tuesday, December 30, following the death of former prime minister Khaleda Zia earlier in the day.

The decision was announced shortly after news of Zia’s passing emerged and just a few hours before the toss for the first match of the day between Sylhet Titans and Chattogram Royals at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. The second fixture, between Dhaka Capitals and Rangpur Riders, was also called off.

Khaleda Zia died at 6.00am local time on Tuesday. She served as Bangladesh’s prime minister for two terms, from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006, and was the country’s first female prime minister. She was the widow of former president Ziaur Rahman and had led the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), founded by her husband, since 1984.

In a statement, the BCB paid tribute to her contribution to the sport. “The BCB recalls with gratitude her constant blessings and good wishes for the progress of cricket in this country,” the statement said. “During her tenure as Prime Minister, she provided outstanding support for the development of cricket in Bangladesh, significantly contributing to improvements in cricket infrastructure and the sport’s growth nationwide.”

The board added that the cancellations were made in respect of national mourning and to honour Zia’s legacy. The postponed matches will be rescheduled, with revised fixtures to be announced in due course.

The 2025–26 BPL season began on December 26, with three matchdays already completed. Given the presence of scheduled breaks in the tournament, the postponement is not expected to have a major impact on the overall schedule.