Rajshahi Warriors: BPL Squad, Schedule, Players List, History & Results
For nine years the Rajshahi franchise was cricket’s version of a house that keeps changing owners. New name, new colours, new logo, sometimes no team at all. Then in January 2026 they walked into Mirpur and hammered the runners-up by 63 runs, and suddenly nobody was laughing at the name changes anymore.
So who are the Rajshahi Warriors? They are the reigning Bangladesh Premier League champions, based in Rajshahi, owned by Nabil Group of Industries, captained by Bangladesh’s Test and ODI skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and coached by former opener Hannan Sarkar. They won BPL 2026 with a 24-man squad, and it was the franchise’s second title after the 2019-20 win under the Rajshahi Royals name.
This page carries their full squad, every season from 2012 to now, the expected 2027 fixture list and the numbers behind the title run.
Rajshahi Warriors Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Rajshahi Warriors |
| Nickname | Yellow Army |
| City | Rajshahi, Bangladesh |
| Founded | 2012 (as Duronto Rajshahi) |
| Current name since | November 2025 |
| Owner | Nabil Group of Industries |
| Captain | Najmul Hossain Shanto |
| Head coach | Hannan Sarkar |
| Team manager | Rajin Saleh |
| Home ground | Shaheed Qamaruzzaman Stadium, Rajshahi |
| Team colours | Yellow and orange |
| BPL titles | 2 (2019-20, 2026) |
| Seasons played | 8 |
| Squad size (BPL 2026) | 24 players |
| Latest finish | Champions, BPL 2026 |
How Many Players Are in the Rajshahi Warriors Squad?
The Rajshahi Warriors named 24 players for BPL 2026. That breaks down into 15 Bangladeshi cricketers and 9 overseas signings, which is a fairly standard split for a BPL franchise.
Only four overseas players can take the field in any one match, though. So those nine foreign names are really a rotation pool, not a starting group, and coaches pick based on the pitch rather than reputation.
Squad size matters more in the BPL than in some other leagues because the tournament is short and tight. With 34 matches packed into roughly four weeks, injuries and national duty pull players out constantly, and a thin squad falls apart by the second week.
Rajshahi got this balance right last season. They carried three wicketkeeping options, two left-arm spinners, four seamers who could bowl at the death, and enough top-order batting to survive a bad start.
How many matches does each team play?
Every side plays 10 league matches in the current six-team format. You face each of the other five teams twice, once in each half of the tournament.
The top four then reach the playoffs. Finishing first or second earns you two shots at the final through Qualifier 1 and Qualifier 2, while third and fourth get a single knockout game in the Eliminator.
Rajshahi played 13 matches in total on their way to the 2026 title: 10 league games, then Qualifier 1, Qualifier 2 and the final. They actually lost Qualifier 1 and had to come back through Qualifier 2, which is exactly why a top-two finish matters so much. Any other team would have been out.
For a full breakdown of how the qualifiers work, see our BPL Schedule 2026-27 guide.
Rajshahi Warriors Squad 2026: Full Players List
Below is the complete Rajshahi Warriors squad from the title-winning campaign. Ages are given as completed years around the BPL 2026 final in January 2026, and where a date of birth is not reliably published we have left the cell marked.
Bangladeshi players
| Player | Role | Batting | Bowling | Age (Jan 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Najmul Hossain Shanto (c) | Top-order batter | Left-hand | Right-arm off-break | 27 |
| Mushfiqur Rahim (wk) | Wicketkeeper-batter | Right-hand | n/a | 38 |
| Tanzid Hasan Tamim | Opening batter | Left-hand | n/a | 25 |
| Yasir Ali | Middle-order batter | Right-hand | n/a | 29 |
| Akbar Ali (wk) | Wicketkeeper-batter | Right-hand | n/a | 24 |
| Jishan Alam | Opening batter | Right-hand | n/a | 20 |
| Shakhir Hossain (wk) | Wicketkeeper-batter | Right-hand | n/a | Not listed |
| Wasi Siddiquee | All-rounder | Right-hand | Right-arm medium | Not listed |
| Tanzim Hasan Sakib | Fast bowler | Right-hand | Right-arm fast-medium | 23 |
| Ripon Mondol | Fast bowler | Right-hand | Right-arm medium | 22 |
| Robiul Haque | Fast bowler | Right-hand | Right-arm fast-medium | 26 |
| Hasan Murad | Spin bowler | Right-hand | Slow left-arm orthodox | 24 |
| Mohammad Rubel | Spin bowler | Right-hand | Right-arm off-break | 29 |
| SM Meherob Hasan | Spin bowler | Left-hand | Slow left-arm orthodox | Not listed |
| Abdul Gaffar Saqlain | Spin bowler | Right-hand | Right-arm off-break | Not listed |
Overseas players
| Player | Country | Role | Bowling | Age (Jan 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Nawaz | Pakistan | Spin all-rounder | Slow left-arm orthodox | 31 |
| Sahibzada Farhan | Pakistan | Opening batter | n/a | 29 |
| Hussain Talat | Pakistan | All-rounder | Right-arm medium | 29 |
| Jahandad Khan | Pakistan | Pace all-rounder | Left-arm medium-fast | 26 |
| Pathum Nissanka | Sri Lanka | Opening batter | n/a | 27 |
| Binura Fernando | Sri Lanka | Fast bowler | Left-arm medium-fast | 30 |
| Dushan Hemantha | Sri Lanka | Spin all-rounder | Leg-break | 31 |
| James Neesham | New Zealand | Pace all-rounder | Right-arm medium-fast | 35 |
| Sandeep Lamichhane | Nepal | Leg-spinner | Leg-break googly | 25 |
That is a squad built on balance rather than star names. Nine of the 24 could bowl a full four overs, and six could bat with real intent in the top seven.
Captain: Najmul Hossain Shanto
Shanto led from the front in a way captains rarely manage. He top-scored for the team with 355 runs across 13 innings, which is a lot in a season where scoring was hard work.
He is also Bangladesh’s national captain in the longer formats, so he arrived with the habits of a leader already in place. That mattered in a tournament where several franchises had management problems.
His batting is built on timing rather than muscle. He rarely slogs, he rotates strike well, and he tends to bat through rather than throwing his wicket away in the middle overs.
Key players to watch
Binura Fernando, the wicket machine
Binura Fernando was the leading wicket-taker for Rajshahi with 18 wickets in 11 innings at an average around 14.6. The Sri Lankan left-armer also passed 150 T20 career wickets during the season.
Ripon Mondol, the breakout name
Ripon Mondol announced himself properly. The 22-year-old seamer took 17 wickets in just 8 innings, and he claimed the first hat-trick of his BPL career against Dhaka Capitals, the eleventh in BPL history.
Tanzid Hasan Tamim, the final-night hero
Tanzid Hasan Tamim saved his biggest innings for the biggest night. He struck a century in the final and took Player of the Match, and he also led the team with 11 catches across the season.
Mushfiqur Rahim, the senior head
Mushfiqur Rahim provided the calm. At 38 he was the oldest man in the squad, kept wicket for six dismissals, and scored 244 runs at an average close to 35.
Rajshahi Warriors History: Season 1 to Season 12
The Rajshahi franchise has worn five different names in twelve BPL seasons, which even by Bangladeshi franchise standards is a lot. They also skipped four seasons entirely, so their record has gaps that other teams do not have.
Every Rajshahi season in the BPL
| Season | Year | Team Name | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012 | Duronto Rajshahi | Did not reach final |
| 2 | 2013 | Duronto Rajshahi | Did not reach final |
| 3 | 2015-16 | Did not participate | n/a |
| 4 | 2016-17 | Rajshahi Kings | Runners-up |
| 5 | 2017-18 | Rajshahi Kings | Did not reach final |
| 6 | 2019 | Rajshahi Kings | Did not reach final |
| 7 | 2019-20 | Rajshahi Royals | Champions |
| 8 | 2022 | Did not participate | n/a |
| 9 | 2023 | Did not participate | n/a |
| 10 | 2024 | Did not participate | n/a |
| 11 | 2025 | Durbar Rajshahi | 5th |
| 12 | 2026 | Rajshahi Warriors | Champions |
Eight seasons played, two titles, one runner-up finish. Given the disruption, that is a better return than most people realise.
The Duronto Rajshahi years, 2012 and 2013
The franchise entered with the very first BPL season in 2012 under the name Duronto Rajshahi. Neither of those two seasons produced anything memorable, and the team went missing when the league returned in 2015 after a break.
Those early BPL years were messy across the board. Several original owners ran into payment and corruption problems, and franchises came and went with very little warning.
The Rajshahi Kings era, 2016 to 2019
Rajshahi came back in 2016-17 as the Kings and immediately made the final. They lost to Dhaka Dynamites, but it was the first real sign the franchise could compete.
The next two seasons under the Kings name did not go as well. They stayed competitive without breaking into the top two again, and by 2019 the ownership was changing once more.
The first title as Rajshahi Royals, 2019-20
This is the season that gave Rajshahi supporters something to point at. Playing as the Rajshahi Royals, they beat Khulna Tigers in the final in January 2020, with Mohammad Nawaz and Andre Russell doing the damage.
Interestingly, Nawaz came back to the franchise for the 2026 season and won a second title with them six years later. He is one of the few threads connecting the two championship squads.
Then came the gap. The Rajshahi team did not appear at all in 2022, 2023 or 2024, which meant three straight seasons with no BPL side representing the division.
Durbar Rajshahi, 2025
The franchise returned in 2025 under Valentine Group as Durbar Rajshahi, captained by Anamul Haque and coached by Ijaz Ahmed. They finished fifth of seven.
Anamul scored 392 runs and Taskin Ahmed took 25 wickets, so there were individual highlights. The season itself was overshadowed by wider payment problems across several BPL franchises.
BPL 2026 Season Review: How Rajshahi Won the Title
Nabil Group of Industries bought the franchise in November 2025 and renamed it Rajshahi Warriors. They then hired Hannan Sarkar as head coach, Rajin Saleh as manager, and signed Najmul Hossain Shanto to lead.
Statistical leaders
| Category | Player | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Most runs | Najmul Hossain Shanto | 355 |
| Most wickets | Binura Fernando | 18 |
| Most catches | Tanzid Hasan Tamim | 11 |
| Most keeping dismissals | Mushfiqur Rahim | 6 |
| Hat-trick | Ripon Mondol | vs Dhaka Capitals |
| Final Player of the Match | Tanzid Hasan Tamim | Century |
The league stage
League record
| Stat | Figure |
|---|---|
| Matches | 10 |
| Won | 8 |
| Lost | 2 |
| Points | 16 |
| Net run rate | 0.335 |
| League position | 1st of 6 |
The Super Over that shaped the season
Rajshahi were involved in one of the season’s talking points early on, a tied match against Rangpur Riders that went to a Super Over. Rangpur managed 6 for 2 in their over, Rajshahi knocked off 10 without losing a wicket, and the Warriors walked away with the points.
Finishing first meant they went into Qualifier 1 rather than the Eliminator. That mattered more than anyone expected, because they lost Qualifier 1 and still had a second life waiting.
Qualifier 1 and the second chance
Rajshahi topped the league table with 8 wins from 10, 16 points and a net run rate of 0.335. That put them straight into Qualifier 1 against Chattogram Royals.
They lost it. Rajshahi were bowled out for 133, and Chattogram knocked off the runs for the loss of four wickets with three balls to spare.
So the champions went into Qualifier 2 against Sylhet Titans, needing to win or go home. They batted first, posted 165 for 9, and defended it as Sylhet finished on 153 for 8.
Twelve runs. That is how close the eventual champions came to not reaching the final at all, and it is the clearest argument there is for finishing in the top two.
The final, 23 January 2026
How the final was won
Chattogram Royals won the toss at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium and put Rajshahi in. That decision aged badly within about an hour.
Tanzid Hasan Tamim made a century and Rajshahi posted 174 for 4. Chattogram never got close, folding for 111 in 17.5 overs as Binura Fernando took 4 for 9.
The margin was 63 runs, the biggest gap in a BPL final for some time. Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul presented the trophy to Shanto.
Rajshahi Warriors Expected Schedule 2027
BCB has not published the official BPL 2026-27 fixture list yet. The table below is our projected schedule based on the BPL 2026 structure and the reported target of a mid-January 2027 start.
| Match No. | Date (Expected) | Opponent | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 15 Jan 2027 | Dhaka Capitals | Sylhet |
| 6 | 18 Jan 2027 | Rangpur Riders | Sylhet |
| 9 | 21 Jan 2027 | Chattogram Royals | Sylhet |
| 11 | 23 Jan 2027 | Noakhali Express | Chattogram |
| 13 | 24 Jan 2027 | Sylhet Titans | Chattogram |
| 17 | 27 Jan 2027 | Dhaka Capitals | Chattogram |
| 21 | 30 Jan 2027 | Rangpur Riders | Chattogram |
| 24 | 3 Feb 2027 | Chattogram Royals | Dhaka |
| 26 | 5 Feb 2027 | Noakhali Express | Dhaka |
| 28 | 6 Feb 2027 | Sylhet Titans | Dhaka |
Treat all of the above as expected rather than confirmed. We replace it with official dates the same day BCB publishes them.
Franchise names for 2027 are also unconfirmed. BPL teams change names often, so the opponent list could look different by the time the season starts.
Shaheed Qamaruzzaman Stadium: The Home Ground
The Rajshahi Warriors are officially based at Shaheed Qamaruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi, a ground that has hosted first-class and List A cricket for years.
Here is the awkward part though. The BPL has not used Rajshahi as a host city in recent seasons, so the Warriors do not actually play home matches there during the tournament.
BPL 2026 ran across only three cities: Sylhet, Chattogram and Dhaka. That means Rajshahi supporters either travel or watch on television, which is a long-standing complaint from fans outside the three host cities.
There has been talk about widening the venue list to include Rajshahi and Khulna. Nothing has been confirmed for 2027, so for now the Warriors remain a team with a home ground they rarely use.
For details on the grounds that do host BPL matches, see our BPL Venues guide.
What to Expect from Rajshahi Warriors in BPL 2027
Champion teams usually retain their core, and Rajshahi have a core worth keeping. Shanto, Tanzid and Mushfiqur formed the batting spine, and all three are still central to Bangladesh cricket.
The bowling is the more interesting question. Binura Fernando and Sandeep Lamichhane are overseas signings who must be re-signed rather than simply retained, while Ripon Mondol and Tanzim Hasan Sakib are local and likely to stay.
Ripon in particular will be a target for other franchises after 17 wickets in 8 innings. Young Bangladeshi seamers who bowl at pace and take wickets in bunches do not stay cheap for long.
Ownership stability is the other thing to watch. Nabil Group only took over in November 2025, and the 2026 season showed what happens to a franchise when the owners walk away mid-tournament.
We publish confirmed retentions and draft picks on this page as soon as they are announced. Squad details for the coming season go up on our BPL Squads hub too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won BPL 2026?
Rajshahi Warriors. They beat Chattogram Royals by 63 runs in the final on 23 January 2026 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
How many players are in the Rajshahi Warriors squad?
They named 24 players for BPL 2026: 15 Bangladeshi and 9 overseas. Only four overseas players can play in a single match.
Who is the captain of Rajshahi Warriors?
Najmul Hossain Shanto, who also captains Bangladesh. He was the team’s leading run scorer in the title season with 355 runs.
Who is the coach of Rajshahi Warriors?
Hannan Sarkar, a former Bangladesh Test opener. Rajin Saleh is the team manager.
How many BPL titles have Rajshahi won?
Two. They won in 2019-20 as Rajshahi Royals and again in 2026 as Rajshahi Warriors.
Who owns Rajshahi Warriors?
Nabil Group of Industries, who acquired the franchise in November 2025 and renamed it.
How many matches did Rajshahi play in BPL 2026?
Thirteen. Ten league matches, Qualifier 1, Qualifier 2 and the final. They lost Qualifier 1 to Chattogram Royals and reached the final through Qualifier 2 instead.
What is the Rajshahi Warriors home ground?
Shaheed Qamaruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi. The BPL did not use Rajshahi as a host city in 2026, so no home matches were played there.
Why has the team changed its name so many times?
Ownership has changed repeatedly. The franchise has been Duronto Rajshahi, Rajshahi Kings, Rajshahi Royals, Durbar Rajshahi and now Rajshahi Warriors, and it also sat out four seasons.
Who took a hat-trick for Rajshahi in BPL 2026?
Ripon Mondol, against Dhaka Capitals. It was the first of his BPL career and the eleventh in BPL history.
Final Words
Rajshahi Warriors are the current BPL champions, and they got there with a 24-man squad that was deeper than it was famous. Shanto’s runs, Fernando’s wickets and Tanzid’s century in the final did most of the work.
The franchise history is genuinely strange, five names and four missed seasons, but two titles in eight appearances is a strike rate most BPL teams would take. Whether the name survives to 2027 is another matter.
We keep this page current through the draft, the fixture release and the season itself. Bookmark it rather than searching again in December.
Update History
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 11 Aug 2026 | Page published with BPL 2026 title-winning squad, full franchise history and projected 2027 fixtures |
| Pending | Confirmed BPL 2027 franchise name and ownership |
| Pending | Retentions and draft picks |
| Pending | Official BCB fixture list |