Dhaka Capitals sign Shoaib Akhtar as mentor

Dhaka Capitals officials confirmed on Thursday that they have appointed former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar as their mentor for the upcoming edition of Bangladesh Premier League.

Akhtar, who is widely known as the 'Rawalpindi Express' for his fearsome speed, holds the record for the fastest delivery in international cricket. He has previously worked in advisory roles in different T20 leagues.

"We are taking him as a mentor for Dhaka Capitals for the upcoming edition of BPL," Atik Fahad, chief executive officer of Dhaka Capitals confirmed Cricbuzz on Thursday.

"We have chosen him firstly because of his brand value and second to motivate the players," he concluded.

"Before the season starts he will come for a couple of days as we have some endorsements with him and he will leave after finishing those endorsements," he said.

"Later during the season he will watch some games and give some guidance to the players like the way we brought Saeed Ajmal last year and his role is quite similar to that," he said

The 50-year-old former fast bowler played 46 tests 163 Odis and 15 T20Is for Pakistan while taking 444 international wickets across formats. His presence is expected to inspire the next generation of fast bowlers within the team setup.

BPL Auction date changed

While Dhaka Capitals signed Shoaib Akhtar, BPL Governing Council of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced earlier that the BPL Players' Auction 2026 will now take place on Sunday, 30 November 2025, from 3pm onwards at the Grand Ballroom, Radisson Blu Dhaka.

Earlier, it was scheduled on November 23.

"The new date has been set to ensure smooth coordination among all stakeholders and to deliver a well-organised, auction event. The Players' Auction is a key milestone in the lead-up to the 12th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20, as franchises prepare to shape their squads for the upcoming season," BPL Governing Council said in a statement issued on November 19.