Chattogram Royals will play the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) final at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur tomorrow.
However, from ownership changes to on-field setbacks, their journey to becoming the first side this season to qualify for the title showdown was nothing short of chaotic.
“It was a cliffhanger,” Chattogram team director Habibul Bashar told The Daily Star, neatly summing up his side’s campaign so far.
Bashar would not have been part of the setup had the franchise’s original owners not withdrawn due to financial complications just a day before the tournament began, forcing the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to take charge of the team.
Chattogram opened their campaign with a 65-run win over Noakhali Express on the opening day, but behind the convincing result lay extensive efforts to stabilise a team grappling with uncertainty, including concerns among players over payments.
Local players had lost confidence, the coaching setup was in flux, and the franchise initially struggled to secure overseas players.
“When we took charge, it was more like a disorganised team. We had to act quickly and prepare the side for the first match. Since then, we haven’t had to look back,” Bashar said.
“Every other team is giving bonuses after each win. We wanted to ensure our players didn’t have to worry about their basic payments. After the BCB takeover, they knew their money was safe,” he added.
Following the takeover, swift steps were taken to stabilise the franchise. Aside from Bashar, Mizanur Rahman Babul was named head coach, and Nafees Iqbal took charge as team manager, along with a few changes to the existing coaching setup.
The impact was evident as Chattogram put the off-field turmoil behind them to finish the league stage in second position with six wins from 10 matches. They then beat Rajshahi Warriors, the most successful team of the league phase, in Qualifier 1 to seal a spot in the final.
Chattogram even lost their most in-form player, Adam Rossington, who was the tournament’s leading run-scorer before a finger injury ended his campaign midway through the competition.
The team, however, managed to cope, with collective performances stepping up to fill the void.
“We don’t have big stars like other teams. We have overseas players, but not big names. Still, we stuck with them throughout the tournament, and I think that worked in our favour,” Bashar said.
Team captain Mahedi Hasan also credited the side’s success to collective effort.
“No, it’s not unbelievable [the journey to the final],” said Mahedi. “We may not have big names -- neither overseas nor local – but the way the boys are performing, Alhamdulillah, shows the strength of team effort.”
Shoriful Islam has been the standout performer with the ball, claiming a tournament-high 24 wickets so far. Captain Mahedi has led from the front with 173 runs and 15 wickets, while Mohammad Naim (263) and Rossington (258) provided solidity at the top. Aamer Jamal and Tanvir Islam chipped in with 15 and 14 wickets respectively, forming a formidable bowling unit throughout the competition.
Now, Chattogram are just one step away from becoming the first franchise from the port city to lift the BPL trophy. They reached the final on two previous occasions -- in 2013 and 2015 as Chittagong Kings -- but this time they will hope that a tournament which began in chaos ends in a historic triumph, reflecting the collective effort and unity shown throughout the competition.
