BPL 2025-26: Dhaka Capitals’ coach Mahbub Ali Zaki loses life collapsing just before match

Dhaka Capitals’ assistant coach Mahbub Ali Zaki tragically passed away after collapsing all of a sudden during a 2025-26 Bangladesh Premier League match against Rajshahi Warriors at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, December 27. Zaki was declared dead after he was rushed to a nearby hospital via an ambulance.

Zaki fell on the ground ahead of the commencement of the match, post which the staff had taken him for an immediate check-up. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was immediately administered upon him by the team staff and medical personnel present at the venue. He was then rushed to the Al Haramain Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Bangladesh Cricket Board’s chief physician Debashish Chowdhury confirmed the development, as per Cricbuzz.

Cricketers from several BPL franchises made their way to the hospital in Sylhet after the news spread like wildfire. Veteran Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was amongst the first to express his deep sorrow on social media.

The BCB also took to social media to express profound condolences and extreme bereavement at the death of the 59-year-old specialist pace-bowling coach of the Game Development unit of the administrative body. 

Zaki is understood to have played a vital part in working alongside Taskin Ahmed after his bowling action had come under the scanner during the T20 World Cup which was played in India back in 2016. He was a former fast bowler himself. During his playing days, Zaki represented Comilla District in the National Cricket Championship. Not only that, he also played in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League for prominent clubs such as Abahani and Dhanmondi.

Zaki made a crossover to coaching and player development following his playing career. He had joined the BCB as a high-performance coach in 2008. Zaki went onto make crucial contributions in the field of pace bowling as well as nurtured some of the finest talents through his meticulous work in the years to come.