Fixing allegations hit Bangladesh cricket again amid the T20 World Cup 2026 controversy
Sylhet Titans adviser Fahim Al Chowdhury accused one of his own players of match-fixing and called it an act of “betrayal.” His statement came after Sylhet Titans lost the second qualifier to Rajshahi Warriors by 12 runs on Wednesday, January 21.
The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has again come under controversy after a senior team official made a serious match-fixing claim. The allegation came just hours after a playoff loss ended the team’s journey in the tournament.
Sylhet Titans adviser Fahim Al Chowdhury accused one of his own players of match-fixing and called it an act of “betrayal.” His statement came after Sylhet Titans lost the second qualifier to Rajshahi Warriors by 12 runs on Wednesday, January 21.
After the defeat, Fahim resigned from his role as adviser. Later, he spoke to fans during a live session on social media, where he explained his side of the story and shared his disappointment with the team’s performance.
The match had looked close for most of the time. Sylhet were chasing a target of 166 and were in a strong position near the end. However, a sudden drop in scoring changed the game and helped Rajshahi secure the win. This collapse caused anger within the team and later led to public claims of wrongdoing.
Fahim makes serious match-fixing claim
During a late-night Facebook Live session, Sylhet Titans adviser Fahim Al Chowdhury accused an unnamed person linked to the team of fixing the match. He said he had prior information that the game had been deliberately compromised.
“Dear Bangladesh and the people of Sylhet, I want to share something important. Today’s match was badly affected. I received trusted information that a person involved sold himself. He lied to us, betrayed Sylhet, and cheated Sylhet Titans. Most of all, he hurt the emotions of the people of Sylhet,” Fahim said on social media.
‘This loss was caused by betrayal’
Fahim spoke about the pain the incident caused him and said money should never lead to corruption. He also denied that Sylhet’s exit was just a normal defeat.
“There was no need for this. If he needed money, he could have told me and it would have been arranged. This truth has broken me. I will not stop here. The matter will be fully investigated, and action will be taken. Today’s loss was a loss because of betrayal. Anyone who watched the match will understand. This was not our loss. The match was fixed, and Sylhet was betrayed,” he said.
Fahim also claimed that corruption has been present in the BPL for a long time. He said the incident left players and fans deeply upset.
“I already knew the BPL had issues with gambling and betrayal. Today, our players are shattered. The people of Sylhet are heartbroken. I will not let this go easily,” he added.
Match-fixing claims have appeared in past BPL seasons, but no clear results have come from them. This season, the Bangladesh Cricket Board brought in former ICC Anti-Corruption Unit chief Alex Marshall to improve monitoring. Fahim’s comments have now put fresh pressure on officials as the league faces renewed scrutiny.
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