The inaugural season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) took place in 2012, captivating cricket fans with intense competition and high-energy matches. The league kicked off on February 9, 2012, featuring six franchises: Dhaka Gladiators, Duronto Rajshahi, Khulna Royal Bengals, Barisal Burners, Chittagong Kings, and Sylhet Royals.
Group Stage Overview
During the group stage, each team played 10 matches in a double round-robin format. Duronto Rajshahi dominated the group stage, finishing at the top of the points table with 7 wins and 3 losses, earning 14 points. Khulna Royal Bengals secured second place with 12 points and an impressive net run rate (NRR) of +0.606.
Dhaka Gladiators, despite winning only 5 matches, took third place with a slightly better NRR than Barisal Burners, who also finished with 10 points. Chittagong Kings matched them with 10 points but missed out on the playoffs due to an inferior NRR. Sylhet Royals had a disappointing season, winning just 2 of their 10 matches and finishing last.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duronto Rajshahi | 10 | 7 | 3 | 14 | +0.114 |
| 2 | Khulna Royal Bengals | 10 | 6 | 4 | 12 | +0.606 |
| 3 | Dhaka Gladiators (C) | 10 | 5 | 5 | 10 | +0.210 |
| 4 | Barisal Burners (R) | 10 | 5 | 5 | 10 | +0.178 |
| 5 | Chittagong Kings | 10 | 5 | 5 | 10 | +0.078 |
| 6 | Sylhet Royals | 10 | 2 | 8 | 4 | −1.234 |
Knockout Stage
The knockout stage of the first BPL featured two semi-finals. In Semi-Final 1, table-toppers Duronto Rajshahi faced Barisal Burners. Despite posting a competitive total of 184/6, Duronto Rajshahi was outplayed by Barisal Burners, who chased down the target comfortably, finishing at 189/2.
In Semi-Final 2, Dhaka Gladiators took on Khulna Royal Bengals. Dhaka Gladiators posted an impressive 191/4, with their strong batting performance proving decisive. Khulna Royal Bengals fell short, managing 182/7, allowing Dhaka Gladiators to advance to the final.
The Final
The final match was held on February 29, 2012, between Dhaka Gladiators and Barisal Burners at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Dhaka Gladiators showcased their dominance, restricting Barisal Burners to 140/7. In response, Dhaka chased down the target with ease, reaching 144/2 and winning by 8 wickets.
This victory crowned Dhaka Gladiators as the inaugural champions of the Bangladesh Premier League.