Fortune Barishal were left with a daunting task yesterday at the end of Chittagong Kings’ innings in the final of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) in Mirpur, but they ended up creating history with a three-wicket victory to clinch back-to-back BPL titles.

Tamim, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, is leading Fortune Barishal as they aim to defend their title against Chittagong Kings at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

Durbar Rajshahi, a new addition in the BPL’s 11 edition, has frequently made headlines this season due to the non-payment issue, damaging the reputation of the competition globally.

The Daily Star identified at least two cricketers outside of the official team lists in the players' dugout

Beyond payment concerns, Tamim believes the BPL’s scheduling and team structure need adjustments to elevate the tournament’s standard.

Despite having started the league phase with eight wins on the trot, Rangpur lost a bit of firepower as Englishman Alex Hales left for ILT20, Pakistan’s Khushdil Shah departed for the Champions Trophy camp, while Soumya Sarkar only returned following an injury.

Chittagong Kings, Durbar Rajshahi, and Khulna Tigers will vie for the third and fourth positions in the standings.

Barishal’s only two losses in this BPL have come against table-toppers Rangpur Riders.

The BPL’s payment issue was also a major topic at the meeting.

Non-payment of players -- a very common problem throughout the history of the tournament -- doubled up on the intense rumours of spot-fixing, prevalent throughout the ongoing edition of the BPL, and combined with the widespread scrutiny behind the disregard for having standard-sized boundaries.

In an interview with The Daily Star, Mickey revisited Rangpur Riders' winning campaign in the recent Global Super League (GSL), how it helped transform the mentality of the likes of Soumya Sarkar, and more.

The 37-year-old former England batter expressed gratitude to Bangladesh cricket for helping shape his career.

With payment crisis looming over, the Chattogram phase opens today with Dhaka Capitals facing Fortune Barishal.

Consistent performances from their overseas players have been key to Chittagong’s strong campaign, with three wins from four games ahead of their home phase.

Zakir and Rony shared a 106-run partnership for the third wicket to set a solid platform for a big finish.

Riding on Usman’s 123 off 62 balls, Chittagong amassed 219-5 in 20 overs after being sent in to bat first -- registering the highest total of BPL’s 11th edition, having surpassed Khulna Tigers’ 203-4 against Chittagong.