Dhaka Capitals just made a massive announcement for BPL 2026. They’ve brought in the Rawalpindi Express himself! Shoaib Akhtar will work as their mentor this season. That’s a huge signing for the franchise.
This marks Akhtar’s first-ever involvement with the Bangladesh Premier League. He’s never coached or mentored any BPL team before now. The franchise convinced him to finally join their setup.
Why Did Dhaka Capitals Pick Shoaib Akhtar?
Franchise CEO Atik Fahad explained their thinking behind this choice. Shoaib Akhtar brings incredible brand value to the team. His name alone generates massive excitement among cricket fans everywhere.
“We are taking him as a mentor for Dhaka Capitals for the upcoming edition of BPL. We have chosen him firstly because of his brand value and second to motivate the players. 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.
“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,” Atik Fahad said.
But there’s more to it than just fame. Akhtar will inspire the younger players with his experience. He took 444 wickets across all international formats during his career. That’s serious knowledge to share with bowlers.
The new role suits Shoaib Akhtar perfectly for the next season. He’ll handle endorsement work before the season starts. Then he’ll guide players during the actual tournament matches. Similar to how Saeed Ajmal worked last season.
The Franchise is Building a Strong Squad
Capitals aren’t stopping with just getting a mentor sorted. They’re assembling a powerful squad for BPL 2026. England’s Alex Hales recently signed with them. Pakistan’s Usman Khan joined too.
Local talents aren’t forgotten either. Saif Hassan and Taskin Ahmed bring Bangladeshi firepower to the Capitals. The team looks balanced with overseas and domestic stars.
BPL 2026 Auction Gets Delayed
The BPL Governing Council changed the auction date recently. It was November 23 originally. Now it’s happening on November 30, 2025 instead. This gives everyone more time to prepare properly.
The delay helps all stakeholders coordinate better ahead of BPL’s 12th edition. Teams like Dhaka can finalize their strategies more carefully now.
Having Akhtar as a coach gives the Capitals a psychological edge already. Young bowlers will learn from cricket’s fastest ever. BPL 2026 just got way more interesting!
