The Dhaka Capitals have named former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar as their squad coach for the 2026 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) season. Notably, this marks Aktar’s first involvement in the BPL in any form.
The 50-year-old, who still holds the record for the quickest delivery in international cricket, has served as an advisor for several T20 leagues. However, he had never played in the BPL, neither as a mentor or coach. With teams beginning to prepare their rosters well in advance of the auction, the Dhaka Capitals have opted to add the former to their think tank.
Meanwhile, the BPL Governing Council has changed the date of the BPL 2026 Player Auction from November 23 to November 30, 2025, at the Radisson Blu Dhaka. This change aims to improve stakeholder collaboration ahead of the league’s 12th edition. Dhaka Capitals CEO Atik Fahad revealed the signing on Thursday, highlighting the two main reasons for bringing Akhtar on board.
“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, chief executive officer of Dhaka Capitals said.
Shoaib Akhtar to have hybrid role with Dhaka Capitals
The franchise also clarified that Akhtar will have a hybrid role. He is expected to arrive before the season begins for a short stint to fulfil endorsement commitments. He will then return during the tournament to watch matches and provide guidance to players, similar to the advisory role Saeed Ajmal played for the franchise last season.
With 444 international wickets across 46 Tests, 163 ODIs, and 15 T20Is, Akhtar’s expertise will be crucial for the Capitals’ setup. The Dhaka Capitals have already begun strengthening their squad ahead of the auction. The franchise recently secured the services of England’s Alex Hales, along with Pakistan’s Usman Khan, who impressed last season for Chattogram Kings. Local talents Saif Hassan and Taskin Ahmed have also been signed through direct contracts.
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