Abrar, Dickwella, and Stirling withdraw from BPL 2026, pressure mounts on Chattogram Royals

Chattogram Royals are facing some problems ahead of the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). A few overseas players have pulled out of the tournament. Team mentor and batting coach Tushar Imran spoke about the issue. He said that the absence of foreign players is a concern, but the team is confident of putting out a strong playing XI from the first match.

Chattogram were already informed that Sri Lankan batter Angelo Perera would not be available for the BPL. Now, more players have pulled out. These include wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella, Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed, and Ireland captain Paul Stirling. On Tuesday, Tushar Imran spoke to the media and explained the reasons behind these withdrawals.

Talking about Dickwella, Tushar said, “We know about Dickwella’s situation. He has been selected in Sri Lanka’s T20 squad, and because of this, the board is not giving him a No Objection Certificate (NOC).”

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Overseas Players Pull Out

Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed was unsure until the last moment. Tushar Imran said they were in talks with him, but Pakistan did not release him in time.

Talking about Paul Stirling, Tushar said the decision came from the player himself. Stirling chose to withdraw from the tournament on his own.

Even after these setbacks, Tushar Imran is positive that Chattogram Royals will not face major problems in team selection. He confirmed that South African all-rounder Cameron Delport and Pakistan batter Kamran Ghulam are still part of the squad and will join the team soon.

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Focus on Team Balance

As per BPL rules, teams can play up to four overseas players in the playing XI. Tushar said Chattogram plans to use all four overseas players. He added that team balance will not be a big issue, as seven local players will also play.

However, the main challenge is the batting order. Most of the available overseas players are openers. Chattogram are now looking for a strong middle-order batter.

Tushar explained that Dickwella and Stirling are top-order players. The team already has several local openers like Joy, Naim Sheikh, and young batter Robin. Even the backup players are mostly openers.

He added that the team is in talks with Kamran Ghulam, who is a strong middle-order batter. The management is also speaking to other players who can bat in the middle order.