Rangpur Riders bring back Arthur as coach for upcoming BPL

Rangpur Riders have once again secured the services of experienced coach Mickey Arthur for the forthcoming edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), which is scheduled to get underway in Sylhet on December 26.

The 57-year-old South African, who served as Rangpur's head coach in the previous BPL edition and also guided the franchise in the Global Super League in 2024, will reprise the same role in the upcoming tournament.

Arthur confirmed his return through a video message on Saturday, expressing his excitement about working with the team and reconnecting with Bangladeshi fans.

"I will be coaching you in this year's BPL like I did last year and the GSL that we won a couple of years ago. I can't wait to come back to Bangladesh and work with a very good squad. The support from the fans was fantastic and I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone again," he said.

Alongside Arthur's reappointment, the former champions have also bolstered their squad by confirming the direct signings of several high-profile overseas players. England batter Dawid Malan, West Indies all-rounder Kyle Mayers, and Pakistan all-rounders Faheem Ashraf and Iftikhar Ahmed have joined Rangpur following the players' auction.

Arthur will be only the second foreign head coach in this year's BPL. Dhaka Capitals earlier appointed Toby Radford as their head coach for the 12th edition, while former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has been named as the franchise's mentor.

The remaining four teams will be led by local coaches, with Hannan Sarkar taking charge of Rajshahi Warriors, Khaled Mahmud set to coach Noakhali Express, Mominul Haque appointed as head coach of Chattogram Royals, and Sohel Islam entrusted with Sylhet Titans.