2012 Bangladesh Premier League

BPL 2012 had its first brush with controversy even before the tournament started. Mashrafe Mortaza, one of Bangladesh's leading fast bowlers and captain of the Dhaka Gladiators, reported a potential spot-fixing approach by a fellow cricketer and that BPL matches could be hit by fixing to the team management. As of developments so far, the franchise had informed the BPL of the approach, according to Gladiators media manager Minhaz Uddin Khan. Furthermore, an ICC ACSU officer was already in Dhaka to conduct the situation.[5]

The league was supposed to pay players in installments during the tournament, with 25% of their wages due before the start of the tournament, 50% during the tournament and the remainder at the end. A series of financial irregularities meant that many overseas players had only received the first 25% well after the tournament ended. Most eventually received their payments, although players from Pakistan were still awaiting theirs in April 2012.[6]

The first semi-final of the BPL will have the team that finished first in the league playing the team that finished fourth. Duronto Rajshahi finished first, with 14 points, but until 2.00 am on the morning of the semi-final, it wasn't clear who finished fourth. Initially, it was announced that Barisal Burners were through to the semis, after their victory against Chittagong Kings, on the basis of net run-rate. At that point, the other two spots were going to be contested between Chittagong, Khulna Royal Bengals and Dhaka Gladiators. The next day, after Dhaka lost narrowly to Rajshahi and Khulna beat Sylhet Royals, Khulna went to second place with 12 points, leaving Dhaka, Barisal and Chittagong tied on 10 points at the end of the league phase. In the head-to-head results between the teams level on 10 points, Dhaka had beaten Barisal twice and Chittagong once and had a superior net-run rate and qualified for the semi-finals in third place. That now left Chittagong and Barisal in contention for the fourth spot. It was initially announced that Chittagong were in the semi-finals, presumably on the basis of a better head-to-head record in the three-way tie on 10 points, which included Dhaka. At 2.45 am of the game, however, the BPL issued a release which said that Barisal was the fourth semi-finalist, presumably because their head-to-head record with Chittagong. The decision was taken according to the rules and regulations of BPL which was announced before the tournament launch. According to the rules and regulations, if more than two teams tie at same points during group stage, the first preference is the number of wins of the teams during group stage. Dhaka, Chittagong and Barishal had 5 wins each. The second preference was the net run-rate of the teams and according to that Dhaka was placed third, Barishal was placed fourth and Chittagong were eliminated by being placed fifth.[7]