One of the most talked-about foreign stars in this year's Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is none other than Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi. While his participation in the BPL has been rumored in the past, various circumstances prevented his appearance. This year, however, fans are eagerly anticipating Shaheen's debut on the BPL stage as he joins the defending champions Fortune Barishal.

To ensure Shaheen Shah Afridi remains in top form for the ICC Champions Trophy, set to take place in Pakistan this February, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has opted to manage his workload carefully. As part of this plan, Shaheen will not feature in Pakistan's Test series against South Africa. The PCB’s statement emphasized their intent to keep their star pacer fresh and ready for the marquee tournament, given his past injury concerns.

Despite skipping the South Africa Tests, Shaheen is part of the white-ball squad, signaling his critical role in Pakistan's cricketing plans.

Fortune Barishal, the defending champions, have built an enviable squad for this year’s BPL, with Shaheen Shah Afridi as one of their key assets. The team also features local stars such as Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Najmul Hossain Shanto, and young talent Rishad Hossain. International players like Kyle Mayers further bolster the squad’s strength, making them a formidable contender.

Shaheen will play from the tournament's onset, and expectations for Barishal’s performance are sky-high. Their campaign kicks off on December 30 with the opening match against Durbar Rajshahi.

With Shaheen’s inclusion, the Fortune Barishal lineup is expected to electrify the competition, giving fans plenty to cheer for as one of the BPL's most powerful squads takes the field.