The 11th season of the Bangladesh Premier League began Monday with Durbar Rajshahi taking on Fortune Barishal in the opening match.
However, chaos erupted at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur when frustrated spectators, unable to secure tickets, vandalized Gate No. 2 of the stadium.
Following the incident, angry fans also obstructed the private vehicle of Khulna Tigers captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board had earlier announced that tickets would not be available at booths near the stadium but instead could be purchased online or from designated branches of Madhumati Bank.
This announcement, made late Sunday, led to widespread confusion and frustration among fans.
Many thronged the stadium booths Monday morning, unaware of the online and bank-based ticketing system.
Adding to the spectators' frustration, several reported being unable to secure tickets at the designated Madhumati Bank branches.
In response to the escalating situation, the BCB issued a press release later in the day detailing ticket prices and availability.
Tickets were priced between Tk200 and Tk2,000 and could be purchased online or from seven branches of Madhumati Bank, including Mirpur 11, Motijheel, Uttara Jasimuddin, Gulshan, Dhanmondi, Kamrangirchar, and Paltan VIP Road.
This year's BPL is the first major tournament under the new BCB leadership, led by president Faruk Ahmed.
The board had promised innovations and improvements, but the ticketing debacle has drawn criticism and left fans disappointed.
