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Pakistan’s spinner Abrar Ahmed and opening batter Saim Ayub are among the first players to be directly signed by franchises ahead of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2026 auction.
The BPL players’ auction is set for November 30, with 245 overseas players already categorised for the event.
Meanwhile, the tournament is scheduled to be played from 26 December 2025 and will conclude on 23 January 2026.
The BPL 2026 will see a reduction in teams from seven to five. Dhaka Capitals and Rangpur Riders remain, while Chattogram Royals, Rajshahi Warriors, and Sylhet Titans enter under new ownership after Chittagong Kings, Durbar Rajshahi, and Sylhet Strikers exited.
Defending champions Fortune Barishal and Khulna Tigers will not participate this season.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed the participating teams but has yet to release details regarding the new ownership structures.
Abrar Ahmed has been picked up by the newly rebranded Chattogram Royals, marking a return to the BPL for the Pakistan spinner, who played a solitary match for Comilla Victorians in the 2023 edition.
Saim Ayub, meanwhile, has joined Sylhet Titans, who have also signed England’s Moeen Ali, veteran pacer Mohammad Amir, and Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai.
Mohammad Amir, a veteran left-arm pacer, brings extensive experience, having taken 52 wickets in 36 BPL matches at an economy rate of 6.36 over four seasons.
Among other marquee pre-auction signings, Dhaka Capitals have secured England’s Alex Hales and Pakistan’s Usman Khan, while Noakhali Express have picked up Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis.
Usman Khan boasts an impressive BPL record, scoring 581 runs in 19 matches across two seasons at a strike rate of 148.97, including three fifties and two centuries.
